New Delhi: BJP leader LK Advani Thursday made a
surprise announcement of undertaking a yatra across the country against the menace of corruption, a move seen as an attempt by him to get a grip over the party.
"I have decided to take out a yatra against corruption.
The name of the yatra, its timing, point of origin and other
details will be worked out with the party. Its focus will be
on good governance and clean politics," the 83-year-old leader
told reporters.
The decision of the quintessential rathyatri is likely
to queer the pitch for some of the Gen-Next leaders who have
been eyeing the highest position in the BJP hierarchy.
Asked if this would settle the leadership issue within
BJP and if he would be the party`s prime ministerial candidate
in the next general elections, he evaded a reply.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari had recently said the party
will not declare its Prime Ministerial candidate in the next
Lok Sabha elections and the decision would be taken after the
polls.
"The party has not declared its Prime Ministerial
candidate before all the elections. Our party president has a
right to say so," Advani said in response to a question.
Advani, whose 1990 rathyatra for building a Ram temple
at the disputed site in Ayodhya changed the BJP`s electoral
fortunes, said he would complete this yatra against corruption
before the Winter Session begins in November this year.
He later told reporters that the idea of taking out a
rathyatra first came to his mind after the last winter session
of Parliament was washed out over the opposition demand
for a joint parliamentary committee to probe the 2G spectrum
scam.
PTI
