Advani turns 85 today; BJP Prez greets him

Senior BJP Leader Lal Krishna Advani Thursday turned 85-year old and many leaders including BJP President Nitish Gadkari wished him for his long and healthy life.

For wishing Advani his birthday, Gadkari Thursday morning reached to first's resident who is reportedly upset over graft charges labeled against the later.

Party mediapersons Vijay Jolly informed about the meet by stating that they met like father and son. He also played down the reports of the BJP veteran being upset with the party chief.

"The manner in which Gadkari greeted and welcomed Advaniji it seemed that a son was wishing his father and taking blessings from him," Jolly said.

Jolly further accused the opposition of unnecessarily commenting on the non-existing differences within the BJP, and said that the environment within the party was very good.

"I just want to say that the BJP is competent and united under Nitin Gadkari's leadership and has full faith in his leadership," he said.

The beleaguered BJP chief met Advani today, who had skipped the BJP's Monday meet on Gadkari where Party had decided to provide full support to his Party Chief.

Gadkari is facing the charges of corruption pertaining to his company Purti group in which several shell companies are allegedly holding the company's shares.

Advani who was angry over Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and some partymen for supporting Gadkari despite his alleged involvement in corruption, he wanted to remove him from the prez post and even from the party, according to sources.

He himself wants to be the interim party chief, who withdrew this post in 2005 after Jinnah controversy, sources added.

Talking to media, Advani ruled out the speculation that he still has the ambition of being the Prime Minister of India as he said, "The party and the country have given me so much, it is much more than becoming the prime minister."

Advani is known to nurse prime ministerial ambitions and during the 2009 general elections he had gone on a countrywide rath yatra to connect with people.

--With ANI Inputs--