Monday, January 2 2006 10:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh today (Jan 02, 2006) formally took over as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President from L K Advani.

Handing over charge, Advani expressed confidence that under Singh's leadership the party would reach new heights and become an effective instrument in the country's development.

Advani presented a shawl to Singh and garlanded him in the presence of senior party leaders, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Jaswant Singh, Pramod Mahajan and M Venkaiah Naidu.

Listing out the BJP's achievements, Advani said the party was able to demolish the single-party domination in Indian politics and successfully ran the NDA coalition for six years.

Welcoming the new party chief, Vajpayee said that in the New Year Singh faced new responsibilities and new challenges from inside and outside the country.

Recalling that Singh had served several responsibilities, including Chief Minister, with distinction, Vajpayee described him as a 'dynamic leader'.

He, however, said the BJP chief's job was not just a post or designation, but involved total dedication towards principles and duties. "It is a bed of thorns. It is a crown of thorns", he said.

Vajpayee said Advani had served this post with honour even in adverse situations and tried to take everyone along.

He said Advani's guidance will always be there. "We are entering an era of challenges. We will face successes and failures in those challenges, but there is no question of fleeing from them, no need to pessimistically move forward. "We will face new challenges and successfully work towards India's bright future. I congratulate you and wish you all success", the former Prime Minister added while welcoming Singh.