Party veterans out of BJP panel, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and J P Nadda in

New Delhi: Veteran BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were on Tuesday dropped from the party’s main policy-making body, the parliamentary board. The changes in the party organisation effected by BJP chief Amit Shah had the distinct stamp of Prime Minister Narendra Modi all over it. These also had the endorsement of the RSS.

In a gesture, however, Mr Vajpayee and the others, including Mr Advani and Dr Joshi, were accommodated in the new five-member “Margdarshak Mandal” (mentor group). The mentor group also includes Mr Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh. In a dig at the BJP, the Congress described the “Margdarshak Mandal” as an “old age home”. The BJP, however, said it was part of the “generational shift”.

The party justified the removal of Mr Advani and Dr Joshi, saying it had adhered to its principle of a cutoff age. Three-time Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and general secretary J.P. Nadda are new entrants to the board.

USHERING CHANGE

• Vajpayee, Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi dropped from the highest the highest decision-making body
• BJP ‘trimurthi’ placed in ‘Margadarshak mandal’ with Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh
• MP Chief Minister Chouhan, general secretary J.P. Nadda replace Advani, Joshi.