New Delhi, July 18
The scheduled executive meeting of the BJP in Chennai became a victim of the strained relations between the RSS and Mr L. K. Advani as the party today decided to defer the three-day meeting to September 16-18.
Briefing newspersons after a meeting of senior party leaders at the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V. K. Malhotra announced the postponement of the executive meeting from July 21 to September 16-18 in Chennai and asserted that Mr Advani would continue both as party President and the Leader of Opposition for the present.
While Prof Malhotra tried to put up a brave front saying that the meeting has been postponed to prepare for the coming monsoon session of Parliament, beginning next week, the decision is being seen as an attempt to ward off any unsavoury situation for Mr Advani where any member could have criticised the party President.
Prof Malhotra said Mr Advani would continue in both posts during the monsoon session, triggering speculation that he may be on his way out even before the September meet.
Already, there has been a demand for Mr Advani’s immediate resignation from both posts. A few others, including former Presidents Bangaru Laxman and Jana Krishnamurthy, have sought a debate on various issues like “one man one post” and ideology, seen as a pretext to attack him in the wake of the RSS demand for his resignation.
Party sources said Mr Advani and senior leaders like M. Venkaiah Naidu were in favour of going ahead with the Chennai meeting, providing for discussion on all issues but other party leaders felt a postponement would be in the interest of the party as it would result in cooling down of bad tempers.
Sources said Mr Advani had been able to buy time for his “honourable exit” from the RSS top brass. He would quit one of the posts in due course, the sources said.
Meanwhile, the party has called a meeting of its office bearers on July 23 to endorse the resolutions to be adopted at the Chennai meeting.
A meeting of NDA leaders has also been called at Mr Vajpayee’s residence on July 24 to chalk out the strategy and floor coordination for the monsoon session.
