Advani okays fresh term for Gadkari

With the support of RSS, a consensus seems to have emerged on giving the top post of the BJP to Nitin Gadkari for a second term, for which elections will be held on January 23.

Senior leader L K Advani, who had reservations in Gadkari getting another term, has finally agreed to it as no consensus could be arrived at on any other candidate, party sources said on Sunday.

Till last week, there were discussions between Advani camp and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) to arrive at a consensus candidate.

Advani’s reservation about Gadkari getting a second term was due to charges of dubious funding of Purti Group with which he was associated. Advani had earlier suggested the name of Ravi Shankar Prasad for the top post.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj’s name had also figured in the discussion, but she herself has not shown much interest on the post.

While party leaders ruled out the possibility of choosing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for the post, saying he does not figure in Advani’s list of probables.