Advani reverses decision to quit key BJP posts

Reuters: Veteran politician Lal Krishna Advani on Tuesday backtracked on his decision to quit senior posts in the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a move that may convince potential partners to stick with the BJP in upcoming elections.

The BJP has been crippled by infighting among its leaders, several of whom harbour ambitions to become India’s next prime minister. They include Advani, at 85 the BJP’s patriarch who played a key role in turning it into a national opposition force, and Narendra Modi, whose promotion to run the BJP’s election campaign appeared to have triggered Monday’s shock resignation.

Advani stepped down from positions he held on the party’s national executive group, parliamentary board and election committee before reversing the decision. Senior leaders moved quickly to appease Advani and encourage him to think again, including Modi himself and Mohan Bhagwat, leader of the BJP’s ideological parent, the religious organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

 BJP President Rajnath Singh told reporters that Advani decided to accept Bhagwat’s advice and return to his posts.

The resignation, though short-lived, underlined fault lines within the BJP and the difficulty it faced in seizing back power from the ruling centre-left Congress party, itself beset by corruption scandals and accusations of poor economic management.