NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Bharatiya Janata Party president Jana Krishnamurthy on Saturday denied reports that he had submitted resignation to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Addressing a crowded press conference in Chennai, he, however, said, "I will abide by the prime minister's wishes to induct me into the Union Council of Ministers."
"There is no need for the resignation now," he said.
Krishnamurthy clarified that he would cease to be party president as and when he joined the Cabinet. "That is the tradition in the party."
He also called a meeting of BJP office-bearers on Monday morning to take stock of the situation.
The prime minister is scheduled to expand and reshuffle his Cabinet on Monday evening.
"By then, we hope to have a clearer idea about those who are joining the government. The central committee would then take appropriate decisions, based on the existing circumstances at the time," he said.
Krishnamurthy sought to deflect criticism that he, as party president, might have been responsible for the BJP's debacle in the February assembly elections.
"Success or failure in elections is an integral part of a party's lifecycle. The person of the party chief is not responsible for the success or failure. The party as a whole has to take the blame."
In this context, he pointed out that Vajpayee was the BJP president when the party won only just two seats in the Lok Sabha polls of 1984.
He also referred to the situation in Tamil Nadu, where the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam bounced back to power in the assembly polls of last year -- after being written off five years earlier.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
