BJP defends its leadership from attack by party veterans

Seeking to defend its leadership from the attack by its veterans, the BJP on Tuesday tried to put the ball back in their court, saying the “healthy precedent” of collective responsibility for poll victories and defeats was set by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani himself.

Seeking to defend its leadership from the attack by its veterans, the BJP on Tuesday tried to put the ball back in their court, saying the “healthy precedent” of collective responsibility for poll victories and defeats was set by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani himself.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Sushma Swaraj, Nitin Gadkari, Venkaiah Naidu and Rajnath Singh at the party's parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

The BJP also said it would certainly welcome any guidance and suggestion of “our seniors”, shortly after Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Yashwant Sinha and Shanta Kumar raised a banner of revolt against the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah in the wake of Bihar poll debacle.

The BJP response came by way of a joint statement issued by three Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari, all former BJP presidents.

“The Party has been very fortunate to have been led by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shri LK Advani for decades. They had set a healthy precedent of the Party collectively taking up responsibility for victories and defeats.”

“The Party would certainly welcome any guidance and suggestion of our seniors in this regard,” the brief statement said.