Advani says he's not in the race to become PM

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani has ruled out that he is in the race for the post of prime minister. Advani made the statement while addressing a press conference after meeting Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur on Wednesday.

"From the RSS, to the Jan Sangh and to the BJP, I am happier to be a part of the party. I do not want to become the prime minister," Advani replied when he was asked if he is the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.

Advani, who is starting his anti-corruption yatra on October 11, had met Bhagwat to explain his decision about the movement.

The RSS leadership has not been happy with Advani's proposed yatra against corruption as it feels that he took this decision without consulting them.

The 83-year-old leader's decision to hold a meeting with Bhagwat came in the wake of reports that RSS is not happy with his yatra as it has re-started the succession debate in the party and brought Advani back to the centrestage. RSS is in favour of a younger leader, who can be projected as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate during the 2014 elections.

He was the BJP's prime ministerial candidate during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections but after the party-led National Democratic Alliance lost to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, he stepped aside to let younger leaders like Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley take centrestage.

While Sushma Swaraj was made the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha despite Advani being the senior-most BJP MP, Jaitley got the same position in the Rajya Sabha.