After a 45-minute meeting with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders Mohan Bhagwat and Suresh Soni at the RSS headquarters at Keshav Kunj, Bharatiya Janata Party president Lal Kishenchand Advani showed no signs of relenting and drove past mediapersons without saying anything.
A senior functionary of the BJP, close to Advani, said there was no question of Advani resigning as BJP president.
Venkaiah Naidu, former president of the BJP, and Sanjay Joshi, general secretary in-charge of the BJP, held a day-long meeting with Bhagwat and Soni before Advani arrived at the RSS headquarters.
According to sources, Advani had offered to relinquish the post of opposition leader, but RSS leaders turned it down, saying they wanted him to go as party president.
BJP leaders Jaswant Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Bal Apte and Naidu are the leaders who could be in the race for the BJP president's post in case Advani is forced to resign by circumstances.
The RSS would like to put all speculation to an end and it has raised the issue of ideology, conduct, organisation and the emergence of a new generation. It is the responsibility of the BJP to bring in necessary reforms, they said. The Sangh said that it will not interfere in that process.
Meanwhile, RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav refused to confirm or deny whether the issue of Advani's resignation came up during the meeting on Sunday evening. "We are saying nothing on the matter," he said.
Naidu said that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani had spoken to RSS chief K S Sudarshan on Saturday night.
"During our interaction with the RSS, we told them that we are addressing their concerns. At the Surat meet, the question of generational change was addressed. In my estimation, RSS leaders Bhagwat and Soni were satisfied with our explanation. There is no question of Advani resigning and we would like to put an end to such stories," Naidu said.
Naidu pretended ignorance when asked about Vajpayee's criticism of the one man-one post demand. "We were too busy sorting out matters," Naidu said.
BJP office-bearers will meet at Vajapyee's residence at 11 am on Monday.
