No RSS pressure over Advani issue: Rajnath Singh

NEW DELHI: BJP President Rajnath Singh today denied reports that the party was under pressure from the RSS over the crisis triggered by the resignation of senior leader L K Advani from all party positions.

Speaking to reporters here he said that news stories which suggested this were baseless.

"I want to make one thing clear that on some channels news has been telecast that RSS has said this or that. I want to make it absolutely clear that Sangh has not said anything.

"I have inquired from people in Sangh, whether they've made a statement. They told me that there has been no statement from their side, all this news is completely baseless," he added.

There had been reports in a section of the media earlier that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had called Rajnath Singh to discuss the issue.

Sources said that both the BJP and RSS were of the view that there should be no going back on the decision to appoint Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as head of the election campaign committee.

However they feel that Advani should be given due respect and all efforts should be made to convince him to take back his resignation.