BJP sources have told NDTV that LK Advani has hinted that he won't complete his five-year term as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

He has reportedly conveyed to Sushma Swaraj that she will replace him in that post.

According to sources, BJP president Rajnath Singh has also backed Sushma Swaraj as the next Leader of Opposition.

Singh will step down as the chief before his term ends, and plans to assist the next chief to take charge, added the sources.

Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Nitin Gadkari is almost certain to be made the next party president, RSS sources have said.

Meanwhile, in the midst of all speculation over who will succeed Rajnath Singh, RSS on Wednesday came out with a public statement that it was not against four Delhi-based senior BJP leaders who the RSS chief had virtually ruled out as party president.

In a rare statement, RSS All-India Propaganda Chief Manmohan Vaid said, "Reports that the Sangh is against four senior leaders of BJP are completely false. M Venkaiah Naidu, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Ananth Kumar are all senior leaders of BJP and Sangh has had cordial relations with them for a long time."

The statement comes against the backdrop of interviews given by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in which he had indicated that the new party president should be from outside Delhi.