Tuesday, May 3 2005 15:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Close on the heels of his controversial remarks that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be led by a second rung leader in the next general elections, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today (May 3, 2005) met party president L K Advani and sought to "sort out the confusion" created by them.

At a 30-minute one-to-one meeting with Advani in his Parliament House chamber, Naqvi is understood to have conveyed that he did not want to "create any confusion or controversy" with his statement in Rampur on Friday (Apr 29, 2005) and that "what had happened was unfortunate", party sources said.

Naqvi, the saffron party's most prominent Muslim face, also "reaffirmed" his total faith in Advani's leadership.

His remarks last week to the media had reignited the leadership issue in BJP sparked off by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief K S Sudarshan's remarks that both former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani should pave the way for the younger generation in the party.

"It was felt that Advani was upset with Naqvi's statement and therefore he wanted a face-to-face discussion with his party leader to sort out all issues", a close aide to the BJP vice-president said, adding, "with this, the chapter is closed once and for all".

However, emerging from the meeting, Naqvi said that he had discussed the party's silver jubilee celebrations. He had on Sunday (May 1, 2005) written to Advani clarifying his statement.