Advani scotches reports of going to RS

Says he would contest LS polls.

Scotching speculation of a section of the party leadership planning to send him to the Rajya Sabha, BJP patriarch L K Advani Sunday said he would contest the next Lok Sabha elections and the thought of him going to Rajya Sabha had not crossed his mind yet.

“No one has told me so (about going to RS) and if somebody offers me this suggestion I will think about it,” he told reporters at his residence dismissing speculation that the party had asked him to go to Rajya Sabha.

The party patriarch, in fact, indicated that the thought of going to Rajya Sabha was not under his consideration at all. “If I had to consider it (going to Rajya Sabha) I would have done it earlier,” Advani said.

The BJP veteran asserted that he planned to contest Lok Sabha elections. “This is what is in my mind,” Advani said in response to a query whether he will contest the next Lok Sabha elections.

There was speculation, till Friday when top BJP leaders met to decide candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections, that a section of BJP leadership was trying to send him to the Rajya Sabha. Sources said the idea could not make any headway in the wake of Advani’s desire to contest Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier, there were rumours of Advani contesting from Madhya Pradesh and not Gujarat and had said he will contest the next Lok Sabha elections from Gujarat. Advani, who represents Gandhinagar in the Lok Sabha, had opposed Narendra Modi’s elevation in the party and though showered praise on him during the party’s recent National Council meeting, many Modi supporters remain wary of the veteran leader’s moves.

With PTI inputs

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