Date:07/11/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/07/stories/2009110760271000.htm

National

Advani’s last session as Opposition leader

Neena Vyas

He has conveyed to RSS his decision to step down

L.K. Advani

NEW DELHI: The countdown for the exit of L.K. Advani as Leader of the Opposition has begun.

It seems the coming winter session starting on November 19 will be his last as leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s parliamentary wing.

Top party sources disclosed that Mr. Advani conveyed his decision to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Generational change

Ahead of the party’s ‘chintan baithak’ in Shimla, following the BJP’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat hinted in an interview to a television channel that it was time for a generational change of leadership in the party.

Younger leader ‘soon’

Top party sources indicated that following the ‘baithak’ and during a flurry of meetings between Mr. Bhagwat and senior BJP leaders, it was “agreed” and “understood” that Mr. Advani would resign as Leader of the Opposition to make way for a younger leader “very soon.”

However, what was to happen before the start of the winter session did not materialise. Mr. Advani has now agreed to put in his papers after the winter session.

After the Jinnah controversy, which erupted in the BJP following Mr. Advani’s words of praise for the founder of Pakistan during a trip there in 2005, a similar “notice” was served on him by the RSS leadership. At that time Mr. Advani was forced to give up his position as party president, but he timed his exit for the end of that year.

This time it is almost a repeat story, point out party leaders. The process that began in August-September this year is expected to be completed by the year-end or “latest” by February, when Parliament’s budget session begins.