Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday denied the party is looking for a successor for its chief, Lal Kishenchand Advani.

Advani resigned on Tuesday after coming under attack from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its allied bodies for his remarks praising Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

Also see: RSS vs Advani -- Who will blink?

"The whole party is still behind Advani," Naidu said.

Rumours were rife in the capital this morning that Jaswant Singh would take over from Advani.

Jaswant Singh will return from a trip to Israel around 1800 IST and probably head straight for a meeting of BJP's Parliamentary Board.

"Why should there be ifs and buts. These things do not matter in politics. What matters is that L K Advani is the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The whole party is behind him," Naidu said.

Rediff Special: The Advani speech

Why is it then that so many leaders of the BJP are openly criticising Advani on his Jinnah remarks?
 
"That is because television microphones have been put before their mouths. The whole thing would be sorted out by the evening. Please wait until then," he said.

Is the party coming up with a new resolution that would address the concerns of both Advani and the RSS?

"Wait till the evening," Naidu said.

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