Saturday, December 24 2005 12:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Rajnath Singh will be the next President of the Party.

He will succeed incumbent L K Advani who is scheduled to step down after the party's silver jubilee national conference in Mumbai next week, party sources said.

The decision to nominate him as the next party President was conveyed to Singh last evening after a series of meetings among party leaders and consultations with senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionaries, including its General Secretary Mohan Bhagwat.

However, there was no official confirmation from the Party regarding Rajnath Singh's appointment as the BJP President.

"Advaniji is our Party President," a visibly happy Rajnath Singh told reporters here this morning when asked about his nomination as the next BJP President.

Asked whether he is willing to take up the responsibility, he said, "I have discharged to the best of my abilities whatever responsibilities have so far been entrusted to me."

"We will see when it (the offer of Presidentship) comes," he said when asked whether he would accept the top post.

Several party leaders made a beeline to his Ashoka Road residence here since morning. They included former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and MP Ashok Pradhan.

Singh later left for Gajraula in western Uttar Pradesh to address a rally as part of the ongoing 'Nyay Yatra' programme in the State protesting against the killing of Gazipur MLA Krishnanand Rai.