No comments from BJP on Rajnath's presidentship

Not withstanding the assertions of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh backers in the Bharatiya Janata Party that former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh will succeed Lal Kishenchand Advani as the party President, the BJP on Monday indicated that Advani might himself make a formal announcement in this regard on December 31.

Declining to confirm whether Rajnath Singh had been nominated as the next party chief, BJP General Secretary Pramod Mahajan told reporters, "I have no information on this. Nobody has told me about it. I will let you know the name the minute I come to know." Asked if Advani, during his brief Presidential remarks at the National Executive meeting, had referred to his Pakistan visit, Mahajan said he did refer to it in the context of the fact that he was asked to inaugurate a project for the restoration of Katasraj temples, linked to the 'Mahabharat' period.

"I assure you that he did not take any names in which you people are interested," the BJP General Secretary said talking to the media.

Also read: Advani puts Jinnah first

Mahajan said no special significance should be attached to the presence of RSS leader Mohan Bhagawat at the BJP's Silver Jubilee celebrations. RSS Chief K S Sudarshan had attended the BJP convention held in Mumbai in 1995. "If Bhagawat is attending, it is only natural for an RSS representative to attend the National Convention of a Sangh Parivar organisation," he added.

About the schedule of the meeting, Mahajan said the National Executive would review the National Democratic Alliance's success in the Bihar Assembly polls and chalk out the BJP's strategy for the coming elections in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

Also read: Advani's Jinnah never existed

The National Executive would pass a resolution on Foreign Affairs on Tuesday and finalise the Political and Economic resolutions, to be placed before the National Council for its consideration and approval.