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'Advani, Jaswant to stay Leaders of Opposition'
Advani said that he was not against being projected as the party's candidate in the next general elections.
BJP President Rajnath Singh has ruled out removing either LK Advani or Jaswant Singh as Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha respectively.
He also said that the general elections were too far to project anyone as the party's candidate for the prime minister's post.
Party leaders had raised a question mark on Advani's continuation, specially due to his stand on the cash-for-query scam, which had brought a lot of public criticism.
Jaswant Singh's job was said to be under threat due to another thakur leader taking over as Party President.
Singh's pilgrimage to Pakistan, particularly his proposed visit to Jinnah's mausoleum in Karachi, has been strongly criticised by hardcore Hindutva elements in the party.
Asked whether Advani would be the party's Prime Ministerial candidate in the next Lok Sabha polls, Singh said, "2009 is far off and we will decide when the elections are round the corner".
Advani has made it clear that unlike former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he has not decided to retire from electoral politics and was not against being projected as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate in the next polls.
