It now appears that only a stroke of very bad luck or a brilliantly crafted coup can keep Nitin Gadkari from taking over as the next BJP president.

On Tuesday, current president Rajnath Singh seemed to sign off on what NDTV has been reporting since Monday: that he will quit before his three-year term ends in December, and that he will not hold any party post after that. Singh has allegedly pledged his support for Nitin Gadkari, the man the RSS wants as BJP president.

Hinting broadly that he's ready for an early exit, Singh said, "As far as the BJP is concerned, I can say that change of responsibility is a natural process and my term in office has ended as it is. The new President has to take charge of his office. When this change of guard happens, and it will happen with everyone's consensus, all of you will be informed."

Gadkari heads the BJP in Maharashtra, and has been appropriately coy in the last few days when asked about his presidential aspirations. Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the RSS, who reportedly handpicked Gadkari, had declared that a young person "from outside Delhi" would replace Rajnath Singh.

RSS sources say Rajnath Singh is also backing Sushma Swaraj to take over as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, a post currently held by L K Advani. The rivalry between Advani and Singh has affected various issues, including choosing their respective successors.

Singh's decision to cut short his presidential term is motivated partly, according to sources, by the fact that Advani may then be obliged to do the same.

The succession war for the two top posts in the BJP began soon after the party's humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in May this year.