The cold war between senior BJP leader Mr L.K. Advani and the party president, Mr Nitin Gadkari, is now out in open. Mr Advani wrote in his blog that there should be introspection on party affairs.

Mr Advani, who skipped the public rally after the national executive meet in Mumbai recently, said the mood within the BJP these days is not upbeat. “The results in Uttar Pradesh, the manner in which the party welcomed BSP Ministers who were removed by the former UP Chief Minister, Ms Mayawati, on charges of corruption, the party's handling of Jharkhand and Karnataka — all these events have undermined the party's campaign against corruption,” Mr Advani said.

It must be recollected that Mr Gadkari was instrumental in making former BSP leader Mr Babu Singh Kushwaha a party member. The Congress and the Left parties have been attacking the BJP over corruption in Karnataka, particularly in the mining sector.

Mr Advani, on the other hand, appreciated the works of senior leaders Mr Arun Jaitley and Ms Sushma Swaraj. He said the party's performance in the two Houses of Parliament under Ms Swaraj and Mr Jaitley has been excellent. “I had said at the Core Group meeting that if people are today angry with the UPA Government, they are also disappointed with us. The situation, I said, calls for introspection,” Mr Advani wrote.

The BJP did not comment on the blog officially. Sources in the party indicated that Mr Advani was also critical about the way party is being run under Mr Gadkari. There were reports that Mr Advani is against giving Mr Gadkari a second term.

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