Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani on Monday said he had no plans to retire from politics. “I do not want to retire,” Mr Advani told BBC news channel in an interview. He told the questioner that he gives advice to the party whenever it is sought.
Expressing satisfaction at the line being pursued by his party under the new leadership, Mr Advani said it had a bright future and a large number of young people were coming to the organisation. “I do not think so. It (the BJP) is pursuing the right line and its future is bright,” Mr Advani said when asked if his party needed a makeover.
Mr Advani, 83, had to step down as Leader of the Opposition after the Sangh Parivar fountainhead RSS reportedly asked him to pave way for a younger leadership in the wake of two consecutive Lok Sabha election defeats.
However, many feel the BJP patriarch is still in the saddle and has acquired the role of an elder statesman whom the party leaders look up to provide solutions and resolve their differences.
In reply to another question on whether right-wing BJP’s hardliner image was making it unattractive to the younger generation, he replied in the negative. “There are a large number of younger people coming to the party.” —PTI