(Inserting reference to creamy layer in para 1, line 5)

New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) Attempting to put the recent electoral defeats behind it, the BJP today endorsed the OBC reservation in higher educational institutions but sought to corner the UPA Government by demanding that the economically weaker sections of the upper caste be included in the benefits of reservation and the creamy layer of OBCs be kept out.

"The government must ensure that while implementing reservations, the space for merit is not squeezed and excellence of institutions is not compromised. Efforts must be made to ensure that the benefits of reservation must reach the most deprived amongst the socially deprived sections," BJP President Rajnath Singh said in his maiden address to the party's National Executive.

The two-day National Executive, being attended by all top BJP leaders, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Leader of the Opposition L K Advani, is reviewing the party's performance in the just-concluded assembly elections and chalking out the party's strategy for the electoral battles in some key states, including Uttar Pradesh, in the next one year.

The controversial reservation issue dominated the day's proceedings at the meet, at which party's master strategist Pramod Mahajan, who died early this month, was sorely missed by the delegates. His son Rahul obviously attracted the attention of the delegates as well as the media.

As part of its preparations for the assembly elections, the party decided to bring in more RSS cadres into the organisation to tone up the party machinery.

The leaders from the nine states, in which the party is running government alone or in coalition with its alliance partners, gave report cards of their performance.

Tomorrow the party will discuss a resolution on the performance of the UPA Government during its two years in office before Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani make concluding remarks.

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