RSS works on honourable exit for L K Advani

With the crisis in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) still eluding a solution, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat met L K Advani over breakfast on Sunday and in a first, held a press conference at his house.

Sources have told NDTV that the succession plan is almost finalised and Advani may step down as Leader of Opposition before the year end.

The RSS would certainly have a say in choosing the successor. But what the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat would insist on, say sources, is an honourable exit for Advani.

"Shri L K Advani, senior most leader of the party also met Shri Mohan Bhagwat. The RSS is assured that the BJP leadership as a party team will stand united and face the present situation and will overcome all problems to emerge stronger," said Madan Das Devi.

Now, there's Advani is unlikely to be retired. The RSS has decided Advani's future as the final arbiter. That is why the BJP is denying Advani's time is over.

"Who can be bigger than Advani. He is our leader will continue to lead us," said BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu.

RSS sources say Advani may before the next Parliamentary session step down as Leader of the Opposition, perhaps on November 7, his birthday. And then he may be upgraded to be chairman of the BJP's parliamentary party, a post created over the Leader of Opposition.

Or, he may be included as a member of a proposed advisory committee to assist the next generation of BJP leaders. The committee may have senior leaders like his rival Murali Manohar Joshi and Bhairo Singh Shekhawat.

Now, the RSS is in the hunt for the next generation of BJP leaders, ideally below 60, and old party or RSS hands. It is considering among many others these four leaders - Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar and Venkaiah Naidu.

They are close to Advani, but the RSS, reportedly, hasn't been pleased with this kind of ganging up.

An equal hand was dealt to another faction. The party made it clear that Rajnath Singh won't be president for another term.

"President is there only for one term," said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.

The RSS may walk away with the credit for settling the dust somewhat in the BJP - but it was the RSS that pushed him out of the party post-Jinnah remarks - it endorsed him as BJP's PM-in-waiting - and now it wants him out again. Bhagwat says RSS doesn't run BJP.