Wednesday, January 4 2006 15:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Council will meet here on January 20 to ratify Rajnath Singh's appointment as BJP President.

"A special session of the Council has been called on January 20 to ratify the appointment of Rajnath Singh as party President. He will also announce his future plans and strategy of the party at the one-day session," BJP Vice-President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told sources here.

"All members of the National Council, the National Executive, all MPs of the party and office bearers of the state units beside Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states have been invited for the meeting," he said.

L K Advani had announced Singh's elevation as party chief on December 31 after demitting office in Mumbai following which the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister took charge on January 2.

After ratification, Singh's term would coincide with that of the present National Council which expires in February 2007.

However, a new National Council after the organizational elections can re-elect Singh for a second term as he would not be completing a full tenure, party sources said.

According to the BJP Constitution, no person can become President for a successive second full term.