HT THIS DAY: December 30, 2005 — Vajpayee says no more elections for him
Vajpayee, however, is likely to remain leader of the NDA and of the BJP parliamentary party till the next Lok Sabha polls, due only in 2009
Mumbai -Former PM A.B. Vajpayee threw a spanner in the works of the BJP on Thursday by announcing his decision to give up electoral politics and projecting outgoing party chief L.K. Advani and Pramod Mahajan as ‘Ram’ and ‘Lakshman’ who would lead the party in future.
Vajpayee’s comments at a public rally at Shivaji Park do not amount to an endorsement of Rajnath Singh, widely perceived to be the leader to whom Advani will hand over the baton upon demitting office.
His remarks couldn’t have come at a worse time for the party which is already rocked by sex tapes, internal rivalry and the cash-for-query scandal.
Later, in an interaction with newsmen, Advani merely smiled when he was asked about Vajpayee’s comments about him and Mahajan. Advani said he came to know of Vajpayee’s decision to retire from electoral politics on Thursday morning.
Vajpayee, however, is likely to remain leader of the NDA and of the BJP parliamentary party till the next Lok Sabha polls, due only in 2009.
Senior party leaders and delegates to the conclave are likely to plead with him not to leave the party in a lurch.
