Like-minded parties should join hands to defeat Congress: Advani

Senior BJP leader L.K Advani.

Senior BJP leader L.K Advani has returned to his pet theme of need for unity of like-minded political entities to defeat the Congress.

At a function organised to pay tributes to Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on Friday, the BJP veteran returned to the subject foremost on his mind for the last several months.

Mr. Advani quoted Mookerjee on need for the Jan Sangh to reach out to all non-Congress forces to end the hegemony of the Congress and the BJP leader went on to emphasise that the call was valid even now.

In a shocking move, a day after Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was appointed BJP election campaign committee chief, Mr. Advani quit all his three party posts. He was forced to do a U-turn after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat stepped in.

Mr. Advani feels the recent elevation of Mr. Modi in the BJP hierarchy is a big gamble, which the party can ill-afford. For, in the era of coalition, it makes it imperative for the BJP to project itself as a political entity that can take every one on board.

For over six months he has been advocating the ‘NDA-plus’ formula.

On Thursday, Mr. Advani called on the RSS chief to vent his grievances against the style of functioning of the BJP leadership and the state of drift in the party. However, he got no assurance from Mr. Bhagwat, making it clear that the sangh parivar is determined to go ahead with Mr. Modi as its best bet for the general election.