BJP RSS leaders discuss U P, Uttaranchal and Punjab elections

New Delhi, Jun 22 (UNI) A crucial meeting of top BJP and RSS leaders to discuss a host of topics confronting the nation and political parties was held at the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today.

BJP Spokesman Prakash Javadekar described the meeting as routine one that takes place between the two organisations time to time. "There is no agenda for this day long meeting nor there will be anything from both sides to the media about this interaction", he said.

Leaders of Opposition L K Advani and Jaswant Singh, BJP President Rajnath Singh, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, Sanjay Joshi, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Vijay Kumar Malhotra and M Venkaiah Naidu figured among those attending the meeting on behalf of the BJP, while Mohan Bhagawat and Mr Suresh Soni are representing the RSS.

The issues that were likely to figure in the meeting include the forthcoming elections to the politically important states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Punjab. The party will have to improve its position in U P, not merely because it happens to be the home state of Mr Vajpayee as well as BJP President Rajnath Singh but the success or defeat will decide the party's fate if it sits in the Treasury Benches or in the Opposition at the national level.

NDA ally Janata Dal (United) has jolted the BJP by announcing that it would contest the UP polls along with Apna Dal even as the U P Chief Minister is talking of holding an early elections.

Although speculation about the possibility of RSS renewing the demand for removal of Mr L K Advani from the post of Leader of Opposition is in the air, informed sources believe that no such a thing was on the agenda for the reason that most of the articulate members of the party were not members in Lok Sabha who could fill Mr Advani's slot. Moreover, the Sangh seems to be in no hurry because it had sought relinquishing either BJP Presidentship or Leader of Opposition post respecting the principle, 'one man one post', the sources said.

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