Advani evasive on ‘PM choice’,says party has given him more

He was replying to a question from reporters after meeting RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

There had been reports the RSS was unhappy with Advani’s plans of starting a yatra against corruption. This was being interpreted as the senior leader’s attempt to throw in his hat for becoming the Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP in the next general elections.

Asked if this was the motive behind his yatra,Advani said,“I am afraid these are not related.”

Advani claimed he had come to Nagpur to seek Bhagwat’s blessings for the yatra.

“I met the RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and asked for his blessings. He gave me his full support and wished me all the best for the yatra,” Advani said.

He also met BJP President Nitin Gadkari and inquired about his health. Gadkari had undergone a bariatric operation on September 12 and is recuperating.

“The BJP president will come to Delhi on September 24. I have asked him to make the announcement about the yatra. By then,plan details will also be chalked out,” Advani said.

Asked about details of the yatra,Advani said October 11,which is the birth anniversary of veteran socialist leader Jaiprakash Narayan,was the tentative day it would begin. Sources said the yatra is likely to begin from Sitabdiara in Saran district of Bihar,the birthplace of Narayan.

Advani made light of his meeting with Bhagwat,saying he keeps talking to him “informally”.

“We meet whoever can make a big contribution to the yatra,” he said.

The senior leader said he visit BJP-NDA ruled states and insisted these were better governed than others despite shortcomings.

Advani said he was prompted to take out the yatra due to the 2008 cash-for-vote scam and the washout of the Winter Session of Parliament in 2010 over Opposition demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the 2G spectrum scam.

“But what precipitated the yatra was when our two MPs who had exposed the dirtiest scandal — by acting as whistleblowers — were sent to jail though they did a good job and a great service to democracy,” Advani said.

Advani said he had told Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram if the two MPs were guilty,then he was “even more guilty” and should be sent to Tihar too.

“This is the worst scandal of independent India… it is a big blot not only on the political system but also on democracy as MPs were on sale and the government was ready to buy them even if it cost them crores,” Advani said.

The UPA,Advani alleged,was on a hunt for MPs who could be bribed to save its government.

“Nineteen of them fell into the trap. Some of them are no longer MPs,” he said.

Advani said he would like to finish his yatra before the Winter Session of Parliament.

“We would like to finish the rath yatra within 35 to 40 days,well before the commencement of the Winter Session of Parliament,” he said.

The BJP leader said his proposed rath yatra was for good governance and clean politics.

“The UPA government has been hit by the dirtiest scandals. The ministers are being sent to jail not by the executive but by the judiciary for their involvement (in corruption),” he said.