The Bharatiya Janata Party has denied that its senior leader Jaswant Singh proposing his own name for the post of vice president has its backing. Singh was reinstated as a member of the BJP after he was shown the door in 2009.
"The party has taken no decision on the vice president's post. We will only comment after the United Progressive Alliance has announced its decision. Whatever Jaswantji is doing is by his own initiative. I already made this clear during my press conference on Tuesday," said Rajya Sabha member of Parliament and BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.
The primary reason for Singh's expulsion from the party three years ago was Singh's praise of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and negative comments against the first home minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
His expulsion was revoked 10 months later by party president Nitin Gadkari. Though Advani said he was relieved to see Singh back in the party, Singh's stature was reduced to virtually nothing.
Meanwhile, the names of deupty chairman of the Rajya Sabha Rahman Khan, Uttar Pradesh Congress stalwarts Mohsina Kidwai and Saifuddin Soz are doing the rounds for the post of vice president.
While Khan has been named in a bank scam in Karnataka, Kidwai's name is likely to face stiff opposition from the Samajwadi Party. This leaves Soz, who being a Muslim and hailing from Kashmir could find things to his advantage.
But the Congress is still waiting for word from SP chief Mulayam Singh, who was reportedly offered the post by its leadership.
