It is not possible to say anything definite at this point. The conflicts within the so-called Third Front parties are such that they cannot sustain.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, your ally, has said A B Vajpayee should be the PM candidate of the alliance. Do you think Vajpayee was more helpful in winning allies for the BJP?

The only thing that I will say on the question of leadership is that there is no confusion within the BJP on the issue.

But there is a lot of confusion outside the BJP on the issue. Will you indeed declare a PM candidate when the polls are announced?

I told you, there is no confusion in the party.

As president, are you the leader of the party?

I am the president. A B Vajpayee and L K Advani are the leaders of the party.

They are above the president?

Yes, they are above me also.

But then, who takes decisions? There is a perception that you don’t wield authority. Some of your colleagues defy you with impunity.

I consult Vajpayeeji, Advaniji and senior colleagues before taking any decision. No colleague has ever defied me. Everyone has cooperated with me.

But the BJP under you cannot be called a disciplined party.

On the question of discipline, you may notice that the BJP is the only party in the country that has not split vertically. People can have opinion, that is part of internal democracy. But individual leaders are always less important that the organisation.

... contd.