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Bhagwat for young leaders, warns BJP against factionalism

Updated on Wednesday, August 19, 2009, 00:34 IST Tags:RSS, BJP, Mohan Bhagwat, leadership, factionalism

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: A day ahead of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) crucial brainstorming session, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat Tuesday said the young generation should take charge and that the party leaders should resolve their differences at the earliest.

Breaking his silence over the leadership crisis in the BJP, Bhagwat said: "It is a universal rule that the young generation must replace the old generation."

Bhagwat made his comments in an interview with a television channel when asked about the aging top leadership of the BJP.

"When, where and how (it happens), they will have to decide the modus operandi," he said, and added that "transition is necessary".

The RSS is the ideological fountainhead of the BJP.

The Sangh Parivar head said it was for the BJP to judge whether transition can wait till the next generation. " Yes, they would need to transit to younger generation…”

His comments were immediately welcomed by senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi who said the RSS chief always has a right to advice BJP and most of us are from the RSS. So his advice is taken seriously.

Another leader M Venkaiah Naidu said that the party always brings younger leaders to the fore and does not believe in dynasty.

Asked if senior BJP leader Advani should carry on for next five years as leader of opposition, Bhagwat said: "That they will have to decide. If they come and ask for our suggestion, we will give it to them."

About the transition to young leadership by the next general elections, he pointed out: "We have been saying that since 2003. Whenever they ask us how should our party be, we have told them you have young men, bring them slowly forward. At all levels of the party."

"An average age group must be maintained." Asked what should be the average age, he said that it could be 55-60, but not more than 60.

’End factionalism’

Asked about the factionalism in the party, Bhagwat said it had suffered a "nasty jolt" in the elections and must address real issues and put an end to factionalism. "It was a nasty jolt, quite unexpected, and it destabilized the party. Whatever happened was not very good, even BJP leaders have said this," he said.

In a stern message to the party as it braces for its three-day chintan baithak (introspection session) that begins in Shimla Wednesday, the RSS chief said: "They have to get their balance back and make amends to everything." Bhagwat said the sooner the party does this, the better.

"The BJP leaders express their angst about this (factionalism), they are keen to restore it," he added.