Sunday, July 17 2005 13:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Nagpur: The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) will suffer if it is led by a leader having a "tarnished image" and the ghost of Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah is going to hound BJP President L K Advani in near future, according to RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) ideologue.

Stepping up attack on Advani, RSS ideologue M G Vaidya, in his weekly column in the pro-RSS local Marathi daily "Tarun Bharat" today (July 17, 2005), said that it was unanimously decided in the recent Sangh meeting at Surat to seek Advani's resignation over his remarks on Jinnah made in Pakistan.

As decided (in the meeting), RSS General Secretary, Mohan Bhagwat visited New Delhi on July 10 and apprised the sentiments of provincial "pracharaks" (organisers) to top VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) leaders and also more importantly to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The issue of Advani's resignation might not have cropped up during the meeting with BJP office-bearers but it certainly figured during meeting with Advani, Vaidya wrote.

At the same time, the views discussed at BJP office-bearers meet also must have reached Advani, he said adding, "It is upto Advani to decide whether he should resign (from BJP chief's post) but it was necessary to convey the feelings to him."

However, Vaidya claimed that there was no pressure on Advani from RSS (on quitting the post) as simply conveying the message of Surat meeting in clear terms does not amount to pressure.

Coming down heavyily on NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Convenor George Fernandes, who, while coming to the rescue of Advani, had asked RSS to confine itself to socio-cultural activities and arogating itself to political role, Vaidya wondered, "What prompted Feranandes to visit RSS headquarters in the city on June 27?"

Fernandes' party, JD-U (Janata Dal United) on its own can not defeat Laloo Yadav's RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) in forthcoming Bihar assembly elections and he requires support of the BJP, which itself has forgotten its own identity and joined the stream of NDA, Vaidya said.

After militant attack in Ayodhya, Advani raised the issue of Ram Mandir, which was promptly opposed by JD-U spokesman.

If BJP continues to raise Ram Mandir issue, it would be difficult for JD-U to remain in NDA, the JD-U leader has asserted.