New Delhi:
Is this the end of the road for LK Advani? The BJP's Prime Minister-in-waiting will possibly end his political career being just that a Prime Minister-in-waiting.
In fact, Advani, who remains without a doubt one of India's finest parliamentarians has even indicated that he does not want the post of leader of the Opposition.
"Advani wanted somebody else elected but he insisted, he wants to quit as leader of Opposition. We are still trying to persuade him," said Venkaiah Naidu, Former President, BJP.
While a war of succession may be imminent among Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh and Jaswant Singh, Advani himself may become NDA chairman perhaps following Vajpayee into retirement.
But this is not the only churning in the party.
The RSS has set up a committee that will go into the reasons for the BJP's loss and it may even demand a return to the strident Hindutva-nationalist agenda.
It might even ask for a two leaders at the top formula like Advani and Vajpayee, only this time the combination may not be very amicable. Officially though, the party is ruling out any hasty action.
"There will be no knee jerk reactions," said Arun Jaitley, General Secretary, BJP.
For Advani, the man whose yatras built the BJP, the next few days may be the toughest, personally as well as for his party as it goes through some inevitable soul-searching.