New Delhi, November 17
Wider consultation process to identify Mr L.K. Advani’s successor as BJP President, who has announced his decision to demit office by this year end, got a thrust today with RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan holding a one-to-one meeting with former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee here.
While both the BJP and the RSS remained tightlipped about what transpired between Mr Vajpayee and Mr Sudarshan in the one-hour-long meeting, sources in the Sangh Parivar said the RSS Sarsanghachalak had discussed various issues pertaining to BJP affairs, including the issue of finding a successor to Mr Advani.
In a related development BJP General Secretary (Organisation) and Vice-President Bal Apte held separate meeting with the RSS top brass, including General Secretary Mohan Bhagwat and Joint General Secretary Suresh Soni and Mr Advani.
Yesterday former party president and presently Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu had met top leaders of the RSS.
Meanwhile, a top BJP leader on the condition of anonymity said the final decision on Mr Advani’s successor would be made only after the present incumbent formally quits.
He hinted that Mr Advani is expected to tender his formal resignation from the party President’s post either on the last day of the Mumbai conclave on December 30 or the very next day.
“Mr Advani had said during Chennai BJP National Executive in September this year that he would demit office by this year end. He had also said that he would preside over the
Mumbai National Executive, which is being held to celebrate the 25 years of glorious
existence of the party. “Therefore, there is no question of any final decision on Mr Advani’s successor before he formally tenders his resignation,” he said.
“How can a party decide on the successor even before the present incumbent (Mr Advani) tenders his resignation,” he said, adding, however, that the new BJP President was expected to take over the mantle on January 1, 2006.
On the question of whether the new incumbent would be an “interim president” or would be elected for a fresh term of three years, he said though the new incumbent would take over for the remaining one-year period of the present three-year term, he or she was expected to get a fresh three-year term.
He, however, refused to comment on who was likely to take over from Mr Advani.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Unit of the BJP is also understood to have impressed upon the Central leadership to prevent the “successor issue” from overshadowing the Mumbai conclave.
