Rajnath likely to get one more Presidential term

New Delhi, Nov 23: BJP President Rajnath Singh is most likely to be given one more term on November 26 on completion of the process of scrutiny of papers nomination papers and their withdrawal.

Election Returning Officer O P Kohli today fixed 1430hrs on November 26 as the date and time for scrutiny of the nomination papers 1600 hrs as the deadline for their withdrawal on the same day. The elections, if necessary, would be held on November 27, BJP Office Secretary Shyam Jaju told sources. The nomination papers could be filed at BJP headquarters or at his office.

Organisational elections have taken place in almost all the states, while the units in states facing assembly polls, have been exempted from holding elections.

The possibility of Mr Singh getting an extended term is the most likely scenario in view of the forthcoming elections in his home state Uttar Pradesh as well as Uttaranchal, Punjab and Manipur. The good show of the BJP in the recently concluded urban local bodies has bolstered his chances of getting a renewed term.

Mr Singh was brought in as party president in place of Mr L K Advani after the Mumbai National Executive last year for the latter's remaining one-year term.

UNI