New Delhi: Assuming the role of a link between the party and government, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on August 5 began the exercise of interaction with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs in keeping with the move to tone up the organisation.

The exercise, which was earlier carried out by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, has now been given to Advani in keeping with the new set-up under the presidentship of M Venkaiah Naidu.

The meeting with Members of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana at the party office is to elicit their views on the party set-up in the states and how to further strengthen them.

The meeting assumes significance as the MPs from Uttar Pradesh, where the party has an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), are unhappy over Chief Minister Mayawati's style of functioning.

The four-day exercise, which is to last till August 8, will see Advani interact with Members of Parliament from other states.

PTI