Advani elected NDA's working chairman

Senior BJP leader L K Advani was on Sunday elected unopposed the working chairman of the National Democratic Alliance till incumbent Atal Bihari Vajpayee recovers from ill-health while acting NDA convenor Sharad Yadav has been elected as the convenor.

"In a meeting of NDA floor leaders in the both Houses of Parliament on Sunday, Yadav wished speedy recovery to Vajpayee and moved a resolution proposing the name of Advani as working chairman of the BJP-led NDA coalition," BJP deputy leader in Rajya Sabha S S Ahluwalia said.

The proposal was seconded by Manohar Joshi (Shiv Sena), Naresh Gujral (Shiromani Akali Dal) and BJP President Nitin Gadkari. It was endorsed unanimously by all those who were present at the meeting.

Vajpayee will continue as the NDA chairman.

In another resolution moved by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, it was proposed that Sharad Yadav, president of JD(U) be made the convenor of NDA. This was seconded by Joshi, Gujral and Gadkari.

Yadav has been acting convenor of NDA ever since George Fernandes has been keeping ill-health. The post of NDA convenor has been reserved for JD(U).

In Parliament, Advani will share the same office room that was alloted to Vajpayee as NDA chairman. Swaraj has moved into the office alloted to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, which till December was occupied by Advani.