RSS not responsible for Advani's resignation: Rajnath Singh

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) should not in anyway be held responsible for L K. Advani's decision to resign from all of his posts.

This was a clear attempt to dispel widespread reports that Advani's decision had been prompted because of anger with the top RSS leadership.

"I want to clarify that Sangh has not said anything, no statement issued by them, all the news in the media is baseless," Singh told media here.

"The Sangh has not said anything like that. What is being said about the Sangh is not correct," he added.

There was speculation that Narendra Modi was elevated on the diktat of the RSS amid dissent from several party leaders.

The RSS has also expressed shock at Advani's move to resign from all party posts.

RSS ideologue MG Vaidya said that he was "shocked at the way Advani handled the episode of Modi's elevation...I can't say what prompted him to take such a drastic step."

"It's shocking that a leader of such a great stature has to quit. It is now evident that all is not well in BJP. Advani was probably perturbed over the inner crisis in BJP and therefore quit all positions," Vaidya said.

Advani on Monday resigned from party's Parliamentary Board, Election Committee and National Executive.

In his resignation letter submitted to Rajnath Singh, Advani said he has been finding it difficult to reconcile with the functioning of the party and the direction in which it is going.

Advani, who was not happy with Modi's appointment as the chairman of campaign committee for 2014 general elections, said that most BJP leaders are concerned just with their personal agenda.

He said, no longer he has the feeling that this is the same party, which was created by Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Deendayal Upadhyaya, Nanaji and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The BJP President has, however, refused to accept Advani's resignation.