No L K Advani in next polls? Naqvi soundbite creates noise in BJP

However, his remark that a new leader would head the party in the next general election triggered off a storm in party circles, especially in the Advani camp, well-placed sources said. So rattled was the BJP president with Naqvi’s comment, particularly in the context of RSS chief K S Sudarshan’s controversial interview calling for leadership change in the BJP, that he got his trusted aide M. Venkaiah Naidu to issue a strong denial in Chennai.

Another prominent second generation leader, Pramod Mahajan, (who was also in Chennai with Advani and Naidu) dismissed all talk of leadership change. ‘‘When the father is alive, sons should not be fighting for posts,’’ he was quoted as saying.

Naqvi’s use of the term ‘‘next elections’’ was at the centre of the controversy since elections—sections in the BJP hope—could take place well before schedule, sources said.

On arriving in Delhi, Naqvi clarified that he was only quoting Advani, who has said earlier that if the Lok Sabha elections were held on schedule in 2009 both he and Vajpayee would be too old to lead the party.

Sources close to Naqvi claimed that a ‘‘wrong interpretation’’ was being given to his remarks. Naqvi, considered close to Naidu, had actually been trying to defend Advani, they said. When reporters asked why Advani was not handing over the reins to the second generation, Naqvi reminded them that Advani himself had said that a second generation leader would lead the party in the next elections.

Naqvi’s ‘‘defence’’ clearly did not go down well in the Advani camp. Venkaiah Naidu, at Advani’s prompting, virtually gave Naqvi a dressing down for talking of a new leader. He said, ‘‘No such discussion has taken place in the party and no decision has been taken in this regard because it is too premature to talk about next elections and its leadership.’’

Asserting that discussions on that issue will take place at the ‘‘appropriate time,’’ Naidu added, ‘‘Advani is the leader and we are all moving ahead under his leadership.’’

Sources close to Advani, who reached Mumbai from Chennai tonight, admitted that Naqvi’s remarks had created a flutter ‘‘because of the background in which they were made.’’ They indicated that Naqvi’s claim that he was only quoting Advani did not wash.

‘‘It is true that Advani did give an interview (saying that neither he nor Vajpayee would lead the party if elections are held on schedule) but that was a long time ago. Naqvi’s statement today has no connection with what Advaniji said then,’’ a key Advani aide said.

What has irked the Advani camp is that Naqvi’s comments—even if they are inadvertent or innocent—give a fillip to RSS efforts to effect a change in the BJP leadership well before 2009. Powerful sections in the RSS would like Advani to hand over charge to a younger leader before his presidential term ends in early 2007.

Meanwhile, Sushma Swaraj came to the aide of the beleaguered Naqvi. Talking to the electronic media, she said Naqvi had had no intention to create a controversy and had only quoted Advani.