New BJP chief Rajnath tells Gadkari ‘you are not alone’

Addressing the gathering after Singh's election, Advani said: "Political corruption as an issue is in the centrestage these days. It is Rajnath Singh's responsibility to establish that there will no compromise with the unethical behaviour within the ranks. There should be no trace of shortcomings on count of ethical and honest behaviour among our important leaders."

Advani, however, lauded Gadkari for deciding not to seek a second term, saying his decision will "disappoint the opponents" and instill "confidence" in the common man.

Rejecting the allegations against Gadkari, Singh said: "The circumstances surrounding my taking up this responsibility are not pleasant at all. We all wanted him to be elected as party president again and we even amended the party constitution. But the way baseless allegations were levelled against him, he said he would resign and not hold any post till his name is cleared."

In an apparent assurance to the RSS, Singh told Gadkari: "You are not alone, the whole BJP will remain firmly behind you in this battle for justice."

Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari sought to take the moral high ground, saying he volunteered to step down and "suggested" that a new person should be considered for the top job in the wake of attempts "to malign the party by raking up allegations under a political conspiracy" against him. He claimed that he had suggested Singh's name as an alternative.

Urging party cadres to shed their "differences", Advani said: "We in the BJP have to prove that we are a party with a difference and not the party with differences as our opponents try to make it out to be." He expressed his satisfaction that Singh was elected "unanimously" to lead the party.

Speaking to the media later, Singh said enhancing "mutual coordination" within the party leadership was on top of his agenda. "Enhancing mutual coordination is a priority for me," he said.

"I called up Shri Rajnath Singhji and congratulated him. He brings with him vast experience of both organisation and administration," tweeted Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chose to be present for Singh's election.

While the BJP is likely to hold its national council meeting in mid-February to ratify his election, Singh indicated today that he would continue with the existing central office bearers till then.

Advani today also hoped that Singh would restore the BJP's glory in Uttar Pradesh, which holds the key to the party's performance in the Lok Sabha polls next year. Singh faces an uphill task in this context, given the BJP's poor performance during the UP Assembly elections less than a year ago.

He also faces the challenge of halting the BJP's decline in Karnataka, following the exit of party stalwart B S Yeddyurappa. Singh today did not rule out the possibility of trying to get Yeddyurappa back in the party fold.

Addressing party workers gathered at the BJP headquarters, Singh attacked the ruling Congress and exhorted the cadres to bring the "BJP-led NDA" to power. He targeted Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde for his "Hindu terror" remarks and alleged that this was part of Congress's attempts to infuse "communal poison" in the society. Defending RSS as a "nationalist organisation", he alleged that the Congress was trying to malign it.

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