BJP leaders discuss Gujarat, Assembly polls

New Delhi, Oct 26 (UNI) Senior BJP leaders met here today to discuss the squabble within the party in Gujarat and the Assembly elections in four states early next year.

Chaired by party president Rajnath Singh, the office bearers meeting was attended by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee , former Union Ministers Murli Manohar Joshi and M Venkaiah Naidu.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani could not attend the meeting following the delayed arrival of Maldives Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed, party sources said.

The meeting also discussed current political issues besides elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Punjab and Mizoram scheduled for early next year, they said.

The bickering between Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and party heavy weight Keshubhai Patel also figured in the meeting, the sources said.

Another issue discussed by the leaders was the inclusion of Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav in the Union ministry, which BJP leaders say is ''improper'' as the Minister of State for Water Resources is ''not cleared'' of the charges against him during the Bihar elections last year.

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