New Delhi, December 10
Fearing a leadership crisis in the party, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today gave his go ahead to Leader of Opposition L.K Advani to lead the BJP in the next Lok Sabha election thus paving the way for his colleague-cum-adversary for the prime ministerial post.

Anticipating an early general election, the party’s Parliamentary Board formally took the decision after BJP president, presiding over the meeting, said Vajpayee had expressed his desire that Advani should take over the leadership as he was unable to shoulder the responsibility due to health reasons.

The Parliamentary Board took an unanimous decision that Advani will be the party’s leader, complying with the wishes of Vajpayee.

Advani, who turned 80 only last month, in his brief reaction accepted the party’s decision and said he would pray to God to give him strength to live upto the expectations of the BJP and Vajpayee.

The BJP president said it was very important to decide a successor to Vajpayee as the party was anticipating early Lok Sabha election keeping in view the infighting within the UPA over the nuclear deal and other issues.

Advani, who was expected to be projected as party’s prime ministerial candidate at the party’s national executive meeting in Bhopal in October this year, returned disappointed as Vajpayee had thrown a spanner in plans of Advani camp in the party as well as in the RSS who had chalked out an elaborate strategy for the former Deputy Prime Minister.

Vajpayee, in a letter to the party executive, had said he would be soon there to lead the party.

Getting a chance now, Advani is credited to have brought the BJP to the centrestage of Indian politics through the Ayodhya movement.

He is identified with hardline Hindutva politics but his image makeover attempt two years ago got into problems with saffron fountainhead RSS and other outfits.

His Somnath-to-Ayodhya ‘Rath Yatra’ of 1990 proved to be one of the defining moments of Indian politics as it turned the tide in favour of the saffron party, which came to power at the Centre for the first time in 1996.

Despite leading the movement Advani had then declared that Vajpayee would be the Prime Minister.

Though the government then turned out to be a ‘13-day wonder’, Advani continued to be a perfect foil to Vajpayee and the two leaders ensured the first big break for the saffron party and its allies in 1998. Advani maintained a low profile and avoided all mine fields treading cautiously and waiting for his chance during the NDA regime. With today’s announcement, history has turned full circle for the former Deputy Prime Minister, who was virtually in the doghouse two years ago following the Jinnah controversy.