Advani agrees to continue as 'Leader of Opposition'

NI Wire

New Delhi

Mon, 18 May 2009: 

The veteran leader of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) Lal Krishna Advani has finally become agreed to retain as the ‘Leader of opposition’ after a much persuasion made by party leaders and workers.

Confirming this report, the Party president Rajnath Singh from Advani’s Delhi residence inform the media that Advani has become ready to continue his post.

“Advani ji will continue to be the Leader of the Opposition, parliamentary board has refused his request and he will stay on as Leader of Opposition,” Rajnath said.

Advani (81) on Sunday expressed his reluctance to continue on the ‘top’ post of opposition and asked the partymen to resign from his post and to select another person for this post.

His disinclination came in the wake of poor performance of the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in recently concluded general Lok Sabha election, in which he was also projected as a prime ministerial candidate from NDA.

But, the BJP and NDA could not achieve their target and showed poorer performance in comparison to the 14th Lok Sabha general election held in 2004.

Taking the moral responsibility of this defeat, he offered his resignation on Sunday. But other senior BJP leaders and top leaders of other party of NDA coalition gathered on Advani’s house on Monday to persuade him not to resign from the post and continue in a very tough situation for NDA.

At last, keeping all speculations aside, he has decided to continue his role as he is at present.