DHAKA: As the BJP leadership on Thursday continued deliberations for government formation, there were indications that BJP stalwart L K Advani may agree to be Lok Sabha Speaker if the results bear out the forecast of exit polls.
Party sources said Advani, who is decades senior to PM candidate Narendra Modi, has expressed interest in the constitutional post which is supposed to be non-partisan and independent of the political executive.
Sources claimed the patriarch was informally sounded out about his interest in presiding over the Lower House, but did not confirm that the veteran has conveyed his readiness.
BJP leadership has been in a fix over how to deal with veterans like Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, and has been seeking to devise ways to spare them the awkwardness of having to serve under Modi who is years junior to both.
Advani is currently the NDA chairman, but may have to give up the position should the leadership decide to repeat the arrangement under the Vajpayee regime when the PM also served as chairman of the BJP-led combine, an arrangement designed to avoid the emergence of rival centre of power.
As reported by TOI on Wednesday, finding an appropriate slot for Joshi, who visited RSS leaders in Nagpur earlier this week, and leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj can be nettlesome.
Sources admitted that the job of finding assignments for Advani, Joshi and Swaraj — who all opposed Modi's projection as PM candidate — will be the toughest part of the ministry-making exercise.
The issue, however, did not figure in the deliberations Modi had with BJP chief Rajnath Singh and senior party leaders Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday in Gandhinagar. Sources said the exercise has so far been focused on identifying people experienced enough to serve in a Modi ministry and the social equations which will have to be kept in mind while deciding the representations from different states.
Although the issue of ministry-making figured briefly in the discussions at Gandhinagar, figuring out the role of the troika of seniors was not on the agenda. Sources said the complicated task may fall on the RSS leadership who, significantly, shifted to Delhi on Thursday in order to be "available for consultations".
The day saw senior BJP and RSS leaders meeting at the residence of Rajnath Singh. The meeting was attended by RSS pointsman in BJP Suresh Soni besides Ram Lal, Saudan Singh and V Sathish.
The two-hour meeting saw discussions on issues pertaining to steps to be taken in case the party comes to power and the role various leaders will have in the government and the organization, sources said.
Narendra Modi's close aide and party general secretary Amit Shah also joined them later.Former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, meanwhile, met RSS leaders at the Sangh office in Jhandewalan to discuss the possible role of party elders and others who could be spared for government. Shah also joined in later.
Sources said the party is considering drastic changes in the organization in the wake of its possible government formation.
Senior party leader Uma Bharti also met Advani at his residence besides meeting Gadkari at the latter's residence. The possible roles that other senior leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and Sushma Swaraj are also being discussed as none are seen as Modi-favourites.
Swaraj, who had initially been unhappy over projection of Modi as prime ministerial candidate, is said to be playing the wait-and-watch game along with Joshi.
Party sources feel that if Advani were to become the Speaker, then these two leaders could be part of Modi's cabinet.
Sources said in case Rajnath is given a ministerial berth, then the reins of the party will be handed over to someone else and the name of Gadkari is doing the rounds.
Today's meetings was held a day after detailed discussions were held in Ahmedabad on Wednesday between Modi, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Gadkari.
Source: TOI
BDST: 0847 HRS, MAY 16, 2014
