BJP Parliamentary Board discusses Advani's 'yatra'

The BJP Parliamentary Board today discussed the political situation in the country and senior leader LK Advani's nation-wide yatra against corruption proposed to be held in October and November this year.

The Parliamentary Board, the supreme decision-making body of the party, which met under the presidentship of Nitin Gadkari, also decided to hold the party's national executive meeting in Delhi on September 11 when plans and strategies of Advani's yatra would be worked out.

Senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar told reporters outside Gadkari's residence after the Board meeting that the party would "blow the bugle of struggle and awaken the people of the country against corruption during this yatra".

Kumar said the party Parliamentary Board assessed the Congress-led UPA government had "lost its legitimacy to remain in power" and hence the need to awaken the people of the country.

He said a joint meeting of the BJP core group, party general secretaries and chief ministers would also be held before the party's national executive meeting to discuss Advani's proposed yatra.

"The Parliamentary Board took stock of recent political developments, especially in the last couple of months, and decided to launch a drive against corruption "after various scams of Congress-led UPA that came out recently."

Kumar said "we also discussed details of Advani's nation-wide yatra that he will be undertaking against corruption and black money."

Kumar said that during the meetings of the core group and the party's national executive, the party will roll out its inter-session plans and strategies of the nation-wide agitation against corruption before the winter session of Parliament.

He said "we also expressed our solidarity with our two former MPs who have been wrongfully arrested and kept in Tihar Jail for doing a commendable job of whistle-blowing. They fought to save democracy and it is unfortunate that the ongress and UPA government are treating both bribe-giver and whistle-blowers in the same way. We condemn it."

Kumar evaded questions on possible change of leadership in Uttarakhand which is going to assembly polls early next year.

Among others who attended the Parliamentary Board meeting were chairman of the BJP Parliamentary Board Advani, leaders of the opposition in both houses of Parliament Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, besides senior party leader Murli Manohar Joshi and Ananth Kumar.

Advani had earlier in the day announced that he would undertake a yatra across the country against corruption.