Monday, July 18 2005 10:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Gwalior: As Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mounted pressure on L K Advani, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee yesterday (July 17, 2005) came out in support of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) President, saying he could continue in both posts as party chief and Leader of Opposition and the party need not be bound by the 'one man one post' norm.

Strongly defending Advani, who is facing RSS flak over his controversial remarks on Mohd Ali Jinnah, Vajpayee, who had a meeting with him on Saturday night (July 16, 2005), told reporters that he had not praised the Pakistan founder during his trip to that country.

"I would like to see him (continue) in both posts," Vajpayee told reporters in response to a volley of questions on his personal views on whether Advani should resign from one of the posts.

Asserting that BJP was bound by the one man one post norm and there were no two views on it, Vajpayee said, Advani, himself was not in favour of holding on to two positions.

"It was an arrangement and can be changed. It will be changed. It is up to Advani to decide which post he wants to hold," said Vajpayee, who was here on a private visit.

The former Prime Minister parried questions on whether the RSS fountainhead had asked him to resign, saying Advani had neither praised Jinnah nor said anything controversial about the disputed Babri structure.

Describing as 'baseless', the controversy over his remarks on Jinnah, Vajpayee said Advani did not praise him but was only hinting at the establishment of a 'religious' State in Pakistan.

Similarly, while referring to the 'Babri structure', Advani did not want to rake up any controversy or gain praise.