New Delhi: Firebrand leader Uma Bharti, who was tipped to become BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) general secretary, was a surprise exclusion in the fresh team of the party's office-bearers constituted today (Oct 30, 2004) by new president L K Advani who retained most of the incumbents and included Karnataka unit chief Ananth Kumar.

General secretary Pramod Mahajan, about whom speculation was rife that he could face the axe in view of party's poor performance in Maharashtra Assembly polls, was untouched while Haryana MP Kishan Singh Sangwan was made vice president apparently in view of the coming State Assembly elections.

Former Rajasthan Governor Madan Lal Khurana, who resigned recently to join active politics, has found a place in the national executive along with Kailashpati Mishra, who was removed by the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government as Gujarat Governor under its "detoxification" drive.

Other notable inclusions in the national executive as members or special invitees are Varun Gandhi, former Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Najma Heptulla (both joined BJP recently), former Delhi Lt Governor Vijai Kapoor and former minister Arif Mohammad Khan.

Bharti, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister who had to quit after a Karnataka court issued an arrest warrant against her in a 10-year-old rioting case, was excluded at the last moment as she reportedly had reservations about her party rival from the State Shivraj Singh Chauhan being retained as general secretary.

Bharti, however, has been included as a member of the national executive.

She was also reportedly against the inclusion of Pramod Mahajan in the team, alleging that he had not "cooperated" during her 'Tiranga Yatra' in Maharashtra.

The party, however, maintained that Bharti had excused herself out citing that she wanted to continue with her "vacation".

"Her name was dropped late last night," a party leader said.

Bharti had rushed to Delhi to meet Advani soon after he took over from M Venkaiah Naidu, with whom she reportedly had a telephonic tiff earlier.

Advani has left one post each of vice president and general secretary vacant. Party vice president and spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who released the list, told reporters that these will be filled by the BJP chief "soon" as discussions were being held at various levels.

Naqvi, along with former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi are notable persons to be retained as vice-presidents in Advani's team.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, an aide to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and political secretary to Naidu, was included as one of the nine secretaries along with Andhra Pradesh leader Bandaru Dattatraya and Om Mathur from Rajasthan.

Vajpayee, Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha find a place in the 79-member national executive along with former party chiefs Murli Manohar Joshi, Naidu, K Jana Krishnamurty and Bangaru Laxman, who had to quit in the wake of Tehelka expose.