New Delhi, June 15: Seeking to put a cap on the controversy over the remarks by BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu on party leadership issue, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is expected to make a statement on the issue at an "appropriate time," party sources said. Vajpayee's statement, seeking to clear the air, is likely to come during the party's four-day brainstorming session (chintan baithak) starting in Vasai, near Mumbai, from June 17, they said.

This follows a meeting Naidu had with Vajpayee who had called him to his residence on Friday night to "clear the misgivings" that had arisen over what Naidu had reportedly said at a party gathering in Hyderabad.

During the one-to-one meeting, which lasted over 90 minutes, they discussed the agenda for the chintan baithak.

Naidu had given a detailed explanation to the Prime Minister on the reported statement by him "so as to clear the air of any misgivings that may be there," sources close to Naidu said.
They said that Naidu also conveyed to Vajpayee his anguish over the criticism against him by HRD minister M M Joshi as the BJP president always considered Vajpayee to be the one who would lead the party in the Lok Sabha elections.
Even though the Prime Minister was "none too happy" about the reported remarks by Naidu, he felt "these can be put aside and that Naidu should work towards preparing the party for the coming assembly and Lok Sabha elections," sources said.

Bureau Report