BJP in no hurry to find another Lakshman

Is the Bharatiya Janata Party looking for another 'Lakshman' after the death of charismatic leader, Pramod Mahajan?  "We will have to think about it," said Atal Bihari Vajpayee, speaking outside Parliament House on Wednesday.

Vajpayee had described Mahajan as Lakshman and senior leader L K Advani as Ram at the party's silver jubilee celebrations in Mumbai, in a move seen as emphasising Mahajan's growing clout in the BJP.

"I did not make him (Mahajan) Lakshman. I did not search for one. He became so because of his qualities," added Vajpayee.

The former prime minister also demanded the abolition of the National Advisory Council, previously headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He said the BJP has made this demand, even as the United Progressive Alliance government is preparing to introduce a bill to exempt certain posts from the gamut of office of profit.

The proposed bill could save leaders of political parties from disqualification.