'No number 2 after Vajpayee'

BJP on Monday sought to distance itself from HRD Minister MM Joshi's recent remarks on the party's hierarchy, maintaining there were no leaders at No. 2 or No. 3 positions.

The BJP on Monday sought to distance itself from Union HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi's recent remarks on the party's hierarchy, maintaining there were no leaders at No. 2 or No. 3 positions.

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Party spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi asserted that Prime Minister AB Vajpayee was the undisputed leader of the BJP and that the "remaining party workers were equals".

Speaking to mediapersons at the BJP headquarters here, Naqvi said that the question of a successor to Vajpayee has not been "discussed" at any level within the party. "Mr Vajpayee's successor is none other than Mr Vajpayee himself," he said.

Naqvi later praised the NDA for bringing about all round development in the country.

The BJP leader said that the NDA had ended the regime of controls and long queues, and provided wheat at Rs 2 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg to people below poverty line.

Naqvi added that the foodgrain production had increased from 204 million tonnes to 220 million tonnes during 2003-04.

Naqvi said that the Opposition was now shying away from raising the issues of "Roti, Kapra aur Makaan" because of these "historic achievements" of the NDA government.