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Rift in BJP wide open after Advani's resignation from party posts
BJP veteran L K Advani today resigned from all major posts in the party, accusing most of its leaders of being concerned 'just with their personal agendas'. Poll: What impact will Advani's resignation have on the BJP? | LK Advani: timeline | The inside story: why Advani 'resigned' from BJP
The rift in BJP was on Monday wideopen with LK Advani quitting from all the party posts, apparently opposing the elevation of his one-time protege Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as election campaign committee chief.
85-year-old Advani, a founder member of the BJP and considered the party patriarch after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, resigned from all main fora of the party -- Parliamentary Board, National Executive and Election Committee.
In his resignation letter to party President Rajnath Singh, who announced the appointment of Modi as Chairman of the election campaign committee on Sunday in the BJP National Executive, he rued that the BJP was no longer the "same idealistic party" created by Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Deendayal Upadhyaya, Nanaji Deshmukh and Vajpayee.
"For some time I have been finding it difficult to reconcile either with the current functioning of the party, or the direction in which it is going," he said.
"Most leaders of ours are now concerned just with their personal agendas," Advani said in his one-page resignation.
In the letter, Advani said, "All my life I have found working for the Jana Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party a matter of great pride and endless satisfaction for myself".
After finding fault with the way the party was being run now, he concluded the letter saying, "I have decided, therefore, to resign from the three main fora of the party, namely, the National Executive, the Parliamentary Board and the Election Committee. This may be regarded as my resignation letter," he said.
Advani's letter was delivered in person to Singh at 11 am. Advani and Singh had a meeting later at 12:30 pm.
Sources said Rajnath Singh and Modi were to go together to Advani's house and get his blessings. But Advani asked Singh to come alone for a meeting with him. When the two met, Advani expressed anger and resentment over Modi's elevation.
Read Advani's letter to Rajnath Singh
Singh is believed to have requested Advani to withdraw his resignation but the party veteran said he was firm on his decision.
Significantly, Advani continues to be Chairman of the BJP Parliamentary Party and Working Chairman of NDA.
BJP rejects Advani's resignation
The BJP's parliamentary board Monday rejected Advani's resignation with party chief Rajnath Singh saying he will never accept it.
"The parliamentary board decided to reject the resignation of Shri Advani-ji," Singh told reporters after a meeting of the board at his official residence in New Delhi.
The parliamentary board recalled contribution of Advani to the BJP and said that his "guidance was needed today more than ever before".
LK Advani: timeline
HT Analysis:The inside story: why LK Advani 'resigned' from BJP | Rajnath responsible for BJP chaos?
Rajnath Singh has rejected Advani's letter and efforts are being made to placate him.
"The parliamentary board is of the opinion that ever since the inception of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party, Shri Advani has been our guide. That role inevitably belongs to him. The party and nation needs his sage advice and guidance today more than ever before. The parliamentary board decided to reject the resignation of Shri Advani-ji," Rajnath Singh said.
Rajnath Singh, who was accompanied by the leaders of opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, said Advani had resigned from the national executive, parliamentary board and the election committee.
"As party president, I want to make it clear that I will not accept his resignation under any circumstance," Rajnath Singh said.
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