Thursday, June 9 2005 22:19 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Janata Dal-United (JDU), a constituent of BJP-led NDA, today (Jun 9, 2005) backed saffron party leader L K Advani to the hilt on his praise of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and said his resignation from the post of party president was a matter of "concern".

"Whatever Advani has said on Pakistan soil is correct. It will not only improve Indo-Pak ties but also augur well for the country's internal politics," senior JDU leader Digvijay Singh told reporters after a two-hour meeting of the party chaired by JDU president George Fernandes.

Asked if the party discussed the issue of parting ways with BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) in case Advani did not take back his resignation, Singh said senior JDU leaders would meet again tomorrow to discuss the situation.

"The JDU is keeping a watch on the situation," party secretary-general K C Tyagi said adding the meeting "studied in detail" Advani's Pakistan visit and "welcomed" his statements made there including the one that demolition of Babri Masjid was the "saddest day of my life" and irrevocability of the Partition of the country. The JDU expressed its "displeasure" over the objections raised by the Sangh Parivar over the statements, Tyagi said adding his party wanted Adavni to continue as BJP president.