The seniors, say sources, have an eye on the December re-election of Amit Shah as party chief, seen as a formality.
In this season of troubles, the ruling BJP has a new problem. How to separate the four party veterans who have rebelled against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah, from other party leaders who are making critical comments after the BJP's election debacle in Bihar.
The veterans - LK Advani, Yashwant Sinha, Murli Manohar Joshi and Shanta Kumar - have demonstrated by holding a series of meetings today they are in no mood to stop pressuring the party on their demand that accountability be fixed for the party's humiliating defeat in the Bihar assembly election.
It is a direct attack on PM Modi and Amit Shah, who led the Bihar election strategy and campaign. The veterans had in a lacerating joint statement earlier this week alleged that "the party has been emasculated in the last year," and is being "forced to kowtow to a handful."
The seniors, say sources, have an eye on the December re-election of Amit Shah as party chief, seen as a formality. All sidelined since 2014 when PM Modi and Mr Shah took charge of the party,
they want to force a re-think on another term for Mr Shah.
They are also, say sources, protecting other people in the party like Bihar lawmakers Shatrughan Sinha and Bhola Singh, who have hit out at the BJP leadership after the Bihar defeat alleging a flawed strategy.
The BJP leadership's response to the veterans has been measured and respectful, with the party making it clear that it plans no action against them; but it will now have to figure out how to act against the others.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has met Mr Advani and Mr Joshi in the last two days. reportedly as an emissary of Amit Shah to try and get them to wind down their very public revolt.
The BJP's Ram Madhav said yesterday, "If our seniors feel that there has to be an assessment then it will be considered." He also said that consultation with the seniors would continue.