New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani stepped down as leader of Opposition and handed over the responsibility to Sushma Swaraj. At the BJP parliamentary party meeting Advani was elected as Chairman of party's
parliamentary wing. With this 57-year old Vidisha MP- Sushma Swaraj - became the
second woman to lead the Opposition in the LoK Sabha. 82-year old Advani, known for
his organisational skills, has scripted the rise of the party from the mid-eighties. With
taking over as the Chairman of the Parliamentary wing Advani is expected to play the
role of a mentor. A journalist -turned politician Advani was born in Karachi in
1927. He has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from 1942.
He worked as a full time worker of the RSS during the time of Partition. Later
he followed Deendayal Upadhyaya and associated with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Advani
also held the Information and Broadcasting portfolio during the Janata Party Government
led by Morarji Desai. Representing Gandhinagar constituency in the Lok Sabha he
became the Home Minister and later Deputy Prime Minister in the National Democratic
Allaince government in 1998. The changes in the BJP have come at a time when the
party is beset with several challenges. The defeat in the Lok Sabha polls also
led to internal bickerings in the party.
