MUMBAI: At the closing session of the Bharatiya Janata Party's silver jubilee National Council session here on Friday, leaders reminded the delegates and the cadre that the BJP was founded "to change the very character and culture of Indian politics" and not to emulate the prevailing political culture.

But the immediate concern of the leaders was centred on the exit of L.K. Advani as president, expected to be announced on Saturday, and Rajnath Singh taking over the reins on January 2.

Mr. Advani, M. Venkaiah Naidu and Bal Apte asked the delegates to work selflessly for the party without expecting "positions". But the party leaders themselves were trying to figure out what roles (read positions) they would hold in the new dispensation, against the backdrop of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's remarks that henceforth Mr. Advani and general secretary Pramod Mahajan would play the epic roles of Ram and Lakshman. Some people close to Mr. Mahajan laughed off the remarks, made by Mr. Vajpayee at a public rally on Thursday, saying no one should worry about his being Lakshman for, that could only mean exile and serving whoever was Ram. Lakshman, after all, never became king.

Mr. Naidu announced from the podium that he would be content to be Hanuman. "People have been asking me what my role will be. I said I will be Hanuman," he told the delegates. Later, talking to some reporters, he said there were "many Lakshmans in the party".

There were other leaders who took Mr. Vajpayee's comments lightly, saying "they were good for news headlines for a day".

Vajpayee unwell,

leaves for Delhi

It was expected that Mr. Vajpayee would clarify his remarks at the scheduled valedictory address. Although he appeared on the podium briefly, he left for his room — and later in the evening for Delhi — as he was not quite well. Mr. Mahajan assured the delegates that there was nothing seriously wrong with his health.

The valedictory address was never delivered, and everyone was left to play the game of interpreting what Mr. Vajpayee said. In his closing remarks, an emotional Mr. Advani for the first time directly talked about the ills that afflicted the party of late. But, he said,

the sorry episodes — he was referring to the expulsion of Uma Bharti from the party, the resignation of Sanjay Joshi as general secretary and the expulsion of BJP members from Parliament — were about aberrations and wrongs or indiscipline on the part of individuals which could not and should not affect the party.

Mr. Advani warned the delegates not to be tempted to give "bytes" or one-liners to the media. If they had problems they should approach senior leaders instead of writing letters and leaking them to the press. "This single weakness has damaged the party so badly you cannot imagine," he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail