Bjp National Executive Meet On July 26

The fluid political situation in Bihar and Gujarat and the partys various options if Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati refuses to step down in former chief minister Kalyan Singhs favour, will be the main issues to be discussed at the BJPs national executive meeting to be held between July 26 and 27.

The executive is expected to review its lifetime membership scheme and organisation elections, and fix the date for election of the national president, which is likely to held sometime in September end.

L K Advani, who would complete two terms (of two years each) as party president in October, stated yesterday that there would be no amendment in the party constitution to extend his term.

Brushing aside speculations in the media on the next presidential candidate, he said senior party leaders would finalise the name in September.

However, the report on transparent funding of elections, which recommended donations through cheque, is unlikely to be discussed at Saturdays meeting.

The report, prepared at Advanis behest, by senior party leader Satish Agarwal was circulated for members consideration at the last executive meeting in April.

This executive meet, like the last one, may not take up the reports consideration due to paucity of time, a party office-bearer said. Another office-bearer, however, said that acceptance of the report would deprive the party of election fund at a time when it expects elections by this years end.

As of now, the executive is likely to pass two resolutions - on the countrys political situation and on the economic situation.

The economic resolutions main aim would be to highlight the governments failure on the export front and its inability to get domestic or foreign investment in key sectors like oil exploration.

BJP leaders from Bihar claim that the partys alliance with the Samata Party would continue despite Samata Party leader Nitish Kumars efforts to ally with the Left and other anti-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) forces.

The executive meeting is likely to give firm directions on shoring up the partys organisational strength in the state.

Both the RJD and the Janata Dal leaders have privately rebuffed Nitish Kumar for positioning himself for the chief ministers slot once Yadav is out, a BJP leader disclosed.

Speculations that Mayawati might not step down after her six-month term ends in September has created confusion in party circles.

The executive, however, is certain to back Kalyan Singh. The only situation under which the BJP would accept Mayawatis continuance is a mid-term Lok Sabha poll by the years end, a BJP general secretary said.

On the Gujarat front, the BJP is bracing itself for a possible coup against Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela.