Consent order

Though Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani didn’t want Nitin Gadkari to get a second term as party president, the seniormost leader had initially accepted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) decision to make Gadkari BJP chief for the second consecutive term. During a meeting of RSS and BJP leaders on January 19, four days before the election, Advani had agreed to a second term for Gadkari. Indeed, the date for the election of party president was announced, January 23, only after consulting Advani who had assured RSS leaders that he would back Gadkari’s candidature. Rajnath Singh’s unexpected elevation to the post was purely a result of income tax department raids against Gadkari and had nothing to do with Advani’s opposition.