Bjp Looks For Ways To Retain Advani As Party Chief Desperate For

Senior BJP leaders are looking for reasons for party President LK Advani to continue in office till the next general elections. So they145ve decided to behave as if elections are bound to follow on the winter session of Parliament.

They145ve used the session, which is to commence from November 19, to postpone their plenary, which was planned on November 17-19. A new president should have taken over at the plenary. 145Perhaps this may be this Parliament145s last session, party vice-president Jana Krishna-murthy argued yesterday. And other office-bearers faithfully echoed this.

Krishnamurthy, who is also the party145s central election observer for the organisational elections, indicated that the party145s presidential poll could take place some time in December. But, 145if national elections are round the corner, the BJP organisational elections would take a back seat. The party145s prime focus would then be the general elections, he said.

 

Asked what they would do if the winter session failed to throw up election possibilities, they had no answer. How can this be assumed now, one of them countered. The party could take a fresh stand after the session, depending on its collective wisdom then, he said. Advani has categorically ruled out a change in the BJP constitution to give him a third consequent term. So his colleagues are trying to create a situation that would allow this term to be extended beyond November.

Krishnamurthy could not explain why the party seemed intent on creating the impression that elections were round the corner. He would only say that the party felt that the winter session would witness major political developments. He and another office-bearers added that the party had a right to decide when to hold its plenary.

The proposal to postpone the plenary came from Vajpayee at the party145s central office-bearers145 meeting on Sunday. He reportedly said that the winter session could witness significant political developments leading to general elections. No one questioned that. As one member acknowledged, the postponement would mean that all the office-bearers would retain their jobs.

Vajpayee is reportedly unhappy with the names cropping up in party circles145 discussions of Advani145s successor. They include Kushabhau Thakre, Sunder Singh Bhandari and Bangaru Laxman.

Vajpayee is said to want a dynamic leader in election year and Advani, with whom he gets on very well, fits the bill.