Saturday, April 16 2005 15:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Apr 16, 2005) dismissed as "baseless" reports that its president L K Advani would resign to pave the way for an younger leader to take over the party's mantle.

"There is no question of Advaniji quitting the presidentship. There is no basis for the reports," BJP vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu said on the sidelines of the 'Chintan Baithak' of the party's Tamil Nadu Unit at Uthandi village, 35 km from Chennai.

He said that the party had decided against contesting the bye-elections to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Kancheepuram and Gummudipundi, next month.

"We do not want to fetter our energy by contesting the polls, when the elections to the State Assembly are round the corner," he said.

Addressing the concluding session of the 'Chintan Baithak', he said that the State leaders wanted the party to go it alone in next year's Assembly polls in the State.

"I will convey your feelings to the Central leadership, which will take a final decision," he said.

In 2001, the BJP went to the polls in alliance with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Out of 23 seats it contested, it won 4 seats.

Advani would soon appoint a senior leader of the party as the election in charge to all the five States, Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Pondicherry, where assembly elections are scheduled next year, he said.

Venkaiah Naidu said that the party leaders in the State should consider the 2006 polls as "semi-finals" and 2011 elections "final" and work for it.

"Young blood" should be infused into the party State unit and "new faces" should be identified as prospective candidates for the Assembly polls if it wanted to go it alone, he said adding this did not mean that it should ignore the old timers in the party. "We are having 234 seats and can mix the young and the old," he said.

Describing the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the centre as "Divided Progressive Alliance" with the constituents having different policies, he said that the UPA was facing a "leadership crisis."

He said that the party should prepare itself to face the "challenge" of going it alone in Tamil Nadu. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was facing anti-incumbency factor while the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and other constituents of the UPA had to face the "people's disenchantment with the UPA-led Central Government," he said.

The party's executive and a State level convention would be held in May, which would be briefed on the discussions at the Baithak.

He said that the party should tell the people about the change in the "demographic pattern", the need for an anti-religious conversion bill and the State Government's "lack of concern" on the desalination plant and Sethusamudram project.