BJP president L K Advani has expressed confidence that the party would be able to elect a successor to him when he steps down from office after completing his second consecutive term later this year. There would be no problem in identifying the person who can command the requisite confidence of the party, Advani told a private TV channel.
He said there was no question of amending the partys constitution to enable him to continue for another term though his party colleagues have been pressing me for last several months. On the criticism that the BSP-BJP alliance in Uttar Pradesh was an opportunistic one and a marriage of convenience, he said these stemmed from an unconcealed, undisguised animus towards the BJP, and that the alliance was brought about as the social motivation was far stronger than the political motivation.
He said just as the Akalis have to come to be identified with the Sikhs in Punjab and even in the rest of the country, a BJP-Akali alliance ensured social harmony in that state. So also the BSP has come to be identified with the dalits and scheduled castes and the BJP aligning with it ensures social harmony of a kind which does not come about by any other party aligning with it.
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On the broadening of the BJPs base, Advani said it has been exerting over the last several years to broaden its base, widen its influence and intensify its appeal. But, at this point of time, I think our adversaries are working overtime to ensure that the BJP comes to power at the earliest, he said. Naming the Congress, the Janata Dal and the Communist parties, he said according to them, we are countrys enemy to such an extent that we should not even be touched. Refusing to regard the breakaway BJP leader and Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela, as an adversary, the BJP leader hinted at those who have no qualms to form government on the basis of the fact that the BJP must be prevented from coming to power. No other rationale except this. I regard them as adversaries.
On the Ayodhya issue, he described the demolition of the structure on December 6, 1992, as unfortunate and blamed the then government of Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao for it, saying it was due to the governments obtuseness.
Advani said the Ayodhya movement has been a source of great strength to the party and the incident happened because of the governments refusal to request the Allahabad High Court to give an early judgement. Had the government not been obtuse, it would not have happened. It was not planned by anyone associated either with the BJP or the Sangh Parivar.
He said despite the RSS supremo Rajju Bhayya requesting Narasimha Rao to approach the Allahabad High Court for an early decision on the acquisition case, the then premier told him nothing is going to happen. You need not worry.
The bjp leader said the reply strengthens suspicion that he (Narasimha Rao) perhaps wanted something to happen. I am not accusing him of planning something as some others do. It is his own party. I say that he perhaps wanted something to happen so that he could malign the RSS and the BJP.