New Delhi: A day after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee disclosed that the line of succession after him has been decided in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party today (Apr 16, 2004) categorically asserted he would continue to lead the Government for the next five years.

"Only Vajpayee will lead the Government for the next five years," Union Law Minister and party spokesman Arun Jaitley told reporters in New Delhi when asked about who would be Vajpayee's successor in Government.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...
Political Parties in India

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) has asked the Prime Minister to name his "successor" before the elections, saying people had a right to know before they voted as to who would lead the Government and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in his absence.