BJP president: RSS firm on Gadkari, Advani's proposal for Sushma not accepted

New Delhi: The fight for the post of the BJP president seems to have gotten a new twist. Sources said on Saturday that party veteran LK Advani had suggested senior party member and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj's name for the post.

However, the RSS continues to back the embattled current president, Nitin Gadkari. The RSS is reportedly keen on Gadkari being re-nominated and sources said that he is a frontrunner for post.

The final decision will be announced later on Sunday and if re-elected, this would be Gadkari's second term as party president, in spite of charges of dubious funding in his Purti group of industries.

Sources said Advani had reservation about Gadkari getting a second term because of Purti Group dubious funding charges.

Responding to queries whether Advani has proposed the name of Sushma for the president's post, BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said nominations for the contest will be declared at a proper time. "We don't have a dynasty but a democracy and there should not be any confusion over it. We have an internal democracy and constitution in the party. According to that we conduct elections from regional to national level and that election process is on. As the process ends we will conduct elections for national president also and proper notification will be issued for it," Naqvi said without spelling out when this will be done.

Asked whether besides Gadkari other names are also being floated for the contest, he said, "You will be told about it and the nominations also. Nothing will be done in a clandestine manner." Denying that there is any delay in electing the BJP president, he said, "There is no delay, we are just following a process."

According to the sources, Advani, who had reservation about Gadkari getting a second term because of charges about dubious funding of Purti Group with which he was associated, had earlier suggested the name of Ravi Shankar Prasad for the post of party president.

With Additional Inputs from PTI

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