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Nitin Gadkari, 52, might be the new chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but it is 82-year-old L.K. Advani, a veteran of many political battles within and outside the party, who has emerged as the most formidable leader within the party.

The recent developments within the party are a clear indication that the Advani era has not yet ended,despite prediction of many political pundits after the BJP lost miserably in May 2009 general elections.

The BJP and its allies projected Advani as the prime ministerial candidate before the Lok Sabha polls in May this year. The results left no one in doubt that the Advani-centric poll campaign was a tactical blunder and cost the BJP heavily.

As Advani assumed the role of the leader of opposition reluctantly after the polls, there was a growing talk within the party circles that the octogenarian leader was all set to bid adieu to active politics to pave the way for a younger leadership.

The move to replace old guard with a new younger leadership at all levels gained further momentum with the party’s dismal performance in the Maharashtra and Haryana assembly elections a few months later.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological patron of the BJP, had also indicated its preference for a generational change at the top in BJP.

Ironically, however, while Gadkari, seven years younger to Rajnath Singh succeeded him as the party chief last Saturday, Advani, the oldest of all, began a new innings a day prior to that.

Advani’s confidants – Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley – now hold the important posts of leaders of opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha respectively. Advani himself has been elevated to the newly created post of the chairperson of BJP parliamentary party.

The post was specially created to accommodate Advani by amending party’s constitution at a parliamentary party meeting last week.

This amendment also gave him the power to appoint leaders of party in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

“A party like the BJP doesn’t amend its constitution too often to accommodate an individual. Isn’t this itself an indication of Advani’s stature and importance in party affairs? There is no talk about his retirement from politics. He would continue to guide the party,” a former chief minister and senior BJP leader told IANS.

Several senior BJP leaders, who are not authorised to speak to the media, told IANS on condition of anonymity that former BJP chief Murli Manohar Joshi and outgoing BJP chief Rajnath Singh were in race for the post of leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha.

But as Advani stepped down from this post last Friday, he handed over the mantle to Sushma Swaraj. He also renominated another trusted member, Arun Jaitley, to the post of the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

This is a clear indication of Advani’s unchallenged authority within the party, a senior BJP member in the Lok Sabha said.

Moreover, Advani himself made it clear after he was elevated to the new post that that he was not quitting politics.

“This is a new chapter in my life,” he said.

Senior BJP leader L K Advani on Monday acceded to the wishes of the party’s Parliamentary Board and agreed to become the Leader of the Opposition in the new Lok Sabha.

BJP president Rajnath Singh said that Advani had agreed to continue as Leader of BJP’s Parliamentary Board”. “Therefore, it is understood that he will also be the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha,” he said.

After the party’s poll debacle, Advani had expressed his desire not to become the Leader of the Opposition. He had asked the Parliamentary Board to choose another leader.

The Board did not agree to his request, but keeping in view his insistence, the party president was authorised to talk to him to change his decision.

“Since the party felt that it needed the leadership and guidance of Advani, it requested him to agree to be the Leader of the Party in the 15th Lok Sabha,” Singh told reporters.

“When Advani was informed that the party needed his leadership and guidance to rebuild itself to meet the challenges of the future, as it suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha elections, he agreed not to persist with his suggestion,” Singh added.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani said here Thursday that there was a need to amend the Indian Constitution to assure a fixed term for legislatures and enhance people’s participation in the democracy.

“We must amend the Constitution and have fixed term of five years for Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (state legislative assembly). We follow the British pattern where legislatures can be dissolved even before they complete their term. This doesn’t suit us and we need to change it,” Advani told reporters.

Advani said that one of the reasons responsible for low voter turnout in the ongoing general elections is that it is being held in summer. Another reason is that there is one election or the other every second year.

“Earlier Lok Sabha elections were held in February, but now elections are held in summers when the temperature is almost 43 degree. I feel if the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections are held at one time and on one date then it will enhance the participation of people,” he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani said here Tuesday that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan could be considered for the prime minister’s post in the future.

“The BJP has systematically groomed the second generation of its leaders for the prime ministerial post. I am amazed by the excellent work done by the Madhya Pradesh chief minister in the last three years,” Advani said at a press conference.

“Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is also an able administrator so the BJP will decide on who holds the prime minister’s post in the future.

“I feel very happy when Narendra Modi is praised in public forums. There is no dispute over the prime minister’s post in the party. In fact, the Congress is a family-based party,” he added.

Calling for an immediate end to the war in Sri Lanka, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani Wednesday blamed the Indian government for the “failure” in containing the crisis.

“It is sad to see that the UPA (congress-led United Progressive Alliance) government has failed to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to end this grave humanitarian crisis… The BJP demands an immediate end to war in Sri Lanka and resumption of peaceful methods of finding an enduring solution to the ethnic issue,” Advani said in a statement.

“The BJP reiterates its stand that the ethnic issue in Sri Lanka can be resolved only on the basis of two equally important principles: safeguarding the unity of Sri Lanka and recognition of the inalienable democratic rights of Sri Lankan Tamils to live a life of dignity and equality,” he added.

The BJP said it was a failure on the part of the UPA government that a crisis was unfolding in Sri Lanka as millions of “hapless Tamilians” have had to flee from their homes in their ancestral land in the country’s northern areas following the intensification of a fierce battle between the troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

“The leadership of the Congress party and the UPA government has reduced India’s role to that of a passive spectator, even as shocking statements about the LTTE are being made by partners in the UPA government.”

“It has failed to make a clear distinction between the LTTE, which is a terrorist organisation, and the fate of Sri Lankan Tamils. It has virtually turned a blind eye when, in the name of fighting the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government has continued to ignore and suppress the legitimate concerns and democratic aspirations of Sri Lankan Tamils,” he said.

He was referring to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s comments in a media interview that LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran was a friend of his. Karunanidhi later said he was misquoted.

The Bharatiya Janata Party was poised to win the highest number of seats in parliament, senior BJP leader L.K. Advani said here Tuesday.

“So far as my assessment is concerned, it seems to me that the largest single party in the new Lok Sabha would be the BJP. It also seems to me that the BJP along with its allies (in National Democratic Alliance) would be the largest alliance in parliament,” Advani told reporters here during his two-day visit to Karnataka for poll campaign.

Asked which party or alliance should be invited to form the next government, the NDA prime ministerial candidate said: “The conventions are there in this regard. A party that would win the highest number of seats would get the opportunity to form the new government.”

Though Advani admitted he could not predict the exact number of seats the party or the NDA would win, he expressed confidence that they would be able to get the mandate of the people to form a government.

“My assessment is based on feedback I got after visiting about 80 parliamentary constituencies during this period for electioneering. I have also visited more constituencies in the last six months to participate in the party’s ‘vijay sankalp rath yatra’, where I was able to assess the change in the mood,” Advani recalled.

The 10 allies of the BJP in the NDA are Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiv Sena, Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Rashtriya Lok Dal, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), Nagaland Peoples Front (NPF), Uttarkhand Kranti Dal and Kantapur Progressive Party in West Bengal.

Terming the 15th Lok Sabha elections more crucial for the country than political parties or individuals, Advani said had the BJP won the 2004 elections, the country would have achieved a lot.

“But we failed, principally because we were overconfident at that time and the climate also bred that overconfidence even among our opponents. This time, I have cautioned my party leaders and cadres against being overconfident but work hard with self-confidence,” the former deputy prime minister said.

A sober Advani, however, declined to join issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remarks that he (Advani) had been indulging in mudslinging against him during the last five years.

Asked if he was in favour of a law that would allow only members of the Lok Sabha to become prime minister, Advani said it was up to the political parties to build a consensus on it, as an amendment to the law would require a two-thirds majority to pass it in parliament.

Manmohan Singh is a Rajya Sabha member.

Expressing apprehensions that Indian slush funds stashed abroad could be used for terrorism, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani announced here Friday that if voted to power, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would bring back the money within 100 days.

Addressing the media here, Advani said the BJP has set up a special task force to ascertain the entire gamut of Indian slush funds deposited in foreign banks, including Swiss banks.

“The four-member task force has already submitted its interim report. Not just the Swiss banks, there are around 70 tax havens worldwide which are used to stash slush monies,” Advani said, using the country’s commercial capital to highlight the BJP’s stance on black money.

Quoting from the report, he said anything between between Rs.25 lakh crore and Rs.70 lakh crore (Rs.25-70 trillion/$503 billion-1.41 trillion) is lying abroad.

“We are ready to share the interim report with the next government that takes power and all other political parties for a debate,” the prime ministerial aspirant added.

Advani also called for a “national consensus” on its plans to bring back the slush funds after the elections.

According to him, the flight of capital to developed countries has damaged developing India’s economy and security.

“The recovery of the funds could immensely help the country’s economy and security. These funds can be ploughed back into the Indian economy for developmental works,” Advani argued.

“This is what has prompted us to go in such a fortnight manner on this issue.”

Replying to a question whether it would take action if any BJP members were found to have funds abroad, Advani said “whoever it may be, we shall not spare them”.

Advani expressed apprehension that the monies from such tax havens could have helped fund terror activities and terrorists like Osama Bin Laden, stressing that the US Administration under President Barack Obama was also planning legislation to target tax havens.

Urging India not to remain a “mute spectator” to this issue, he urged the government to come up with similar initiatives and repatriate slush funds lying in foreign banks.

Mahesh Jethmalani, S. Gurumurthy, Ajit Doval and R. Vaidyanathan comprised the BJP’s task force that prepared the interim report.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would bring back slush funds, estimated at $140 billion, stashed in foreign banks, within 100 days if voted to power, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani promised here Friday.

Addressing the media in the country’s commercial capital, Advani said the BJP had set up a special task force to ascertain the entire gamut of issues of Indian slush funds hidden in foreign banks, including Swiss banks.

“The four-member task force has already submitted its interim report. Not just the Swiss banks, there are around 70 tax havens worldwide which are used to stash slush monies,” Advani said.

Quoting the report, Advani said an estimated Rs.6.88 lakh crore (Rs.6.88 trillion/$140 billion) is lying abroad.

He also called for a “national consensus” to bring back the huge amounts, said to be hidden in secret accounts in foreign shores, which could help the country’s economy and security.

This flight of capital from a developing country to developed countries had caused great damage to the nation’s economy and security, according to Advani.

“This has prompted us to go in such a forthright manner on this issue,” Advani said.

He said the US administration under President Barack Obama was planning legislation to target tax havens.

Urging India not to remain a “mute spectator”, Advani said India needed to come up with similar initiatives.

Condemning what he terms as pseudo-secularism, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani here Thursday said that its pledge to build a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya was real secularism.

“We have taken everything on (our) agenda. The Somnath Yatra and Swarna Jayanti Yatra were part of our agenda and the Ram temple too has never been off our agenda,” Advani told a rally.

“I have been saying since 1997 that if given a chance, we will show what Surajya (good governance) is and we have shown it when we were in power for six years under the stewardship of Atal Behari Vajpayee. We have also shown it in states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and in other states as well.”

Underlining that welfare of farmers and soldiers besides improving security of the nation would be on the party’s priority, he said: “There would be no shortage of money for these matters as we will bring back the country’s ‘black money’ stacked in Swiss and other banks abroad and make the 21st century the century of India if voted to power.”

The BJP leader, however, warned the workers not to be overconfident about the party’s victory. Advani said no power in the country could have stopped the party and its alliance from forming the central government in 2004 but “we faced reverses only because we were overconfident”.

He said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance had put the country on the path of progress, but the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government halted every public-welfare scheme NDA had launched.

“During its five-year tenure, the BJP-led NDA did good work for the common man’s welfare. And that was the reason behind our overconfidence.”

Referring to the water crisis in several regions of the country, he added: “Steps will be initiated to implement the erstwhile NDA government’s ambitious river-linking Scheme.

L.K. Advani, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “iron man” who it says will restore decisiveness to governance if elected, continued to be under Congress fire Thursday even as his own party worker stunned him by throwing a sandal at him and calling him a “fake iron man”.

As the five-phase election process got underway, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party continued with their slugfest and the only relief for the beleaguered BJP on the day was the release of young Varun Gandhi from jail on parole.

The Congress, that had been on the offensive for the last few days against Advani, hitting back at him for targeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, today slammed the BJP prime ministerial candidate for his shifting stances and even hinted that he had been lying on crucial occasions, quite at variance with his claims of being a strong leader.

Rahul Gandhi, speaking in Andhra Pradesh, kept up the tirade against Advani saying “they bend before terrorists and now they tell us that we are weak on terrorists.”

His attacks followed both Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi training their guns on the 81-year-old leader Wednesday forcing the BJP to plead for an end to the “mud-slinging”.

Reacting to Sonia Gandhis’ description of Advani as a “slave of the RSS”, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said the Congress leaders’ utterances “smacked of arrogance and some element of frustration”.

The Congress, which had virtually driven Advani to a corner by a sustained campaign blaming him for the 1999 Kandahar hijack drama, harped on the same theme again Thursday.

“Is it not true that Advani in his book clearly said he was part of the decision making on Kandahar,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi questioned, “when then defence minister George Fernandes had asserted that Advani indeed was present at these meetings”.

On Advani’s campaign trail in Madhya Pradesh, a former party office-bearer flung a wooden sandal at him calling him a “fake iron man” who had “no ideology”. The sandal missed Advani, but he became the latest target of a series of “shoe-throwing” incidents in the country aimed at political leaders.

Sandal-thrower Pawas Agarwal, a former Katni district president of the BJP, told reporters: “He (Advani) has no ideology. On the one hand he asks for votes in the name of Ram and on the other hand pays obeisance to (Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali) Jinnah.” Agarwal was taken into police custody.

Earlier this month, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Congress MP Naveen Jindal were also targeted by people who expressed their anger by throwing footwear at these politicians.