New Delhi: LK Advani, senior BJP leader, has quit all posts in the party, a day after he was over-ruled and Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi was chosen to head the party's campaign in elections due next year.
(Full coverage)BJP president Rajnath Singh called on Mr Advani at his residence in Delhi this afternoon. Attempts to appease the stalwart and a request to refrain from going public with his resignation both failed.
(Who said what)Mr Singh later tweeted that he has rejected Mr Advani's resignation. However, party sources say that the BJP is clear that no compromise will be offered that will affect the new status given to Mr Modi. (
Read - Offer Advani courtesy, not compromise: alleged message from Modi supporters)
Mr Advani offered a dark assessment of his party in his resignation letter. "Most leaders of ours are now concerned just with their personal agendas," he said.
(Read the full letter)
The 85-year-old has resigned as a member of the BJP's parliamentary board, its national executive and its election committee.
Minutes after his appointment as election committee chief was declared yesterday at a BJP conference in Goa, Mr Modi, 62, had tweeted "Spoke to Advani ji on the phone. He gave me his blessings." So far, there has been no comment from him today.
It was reportedly an RSS writ that impelled Mr Singh, as party president, to go public with Mr Modi's role despite Mr Advani's absence in Goa. Today, RSS leaders said the BJP should persuade Mr Advani to revoke his resignation.
Many within the BJP fear that the chief minister is too divisive to lead the party back to power after nearly a decade in opposition.
Mr Modi has repeatedly proved his popularity among voters in Gujarat, but he is tainted by the riots in 2002 in which hundreds of Muslims were killed during his first term in office.