It was expected, however, that once some of these differences had been resolved or toned down, the transition to a younger generation would begin. The chintan baithak was to pave way for such a change of guard. But, now, it seems that nothing will change. Moreover, if Advani remains at the head of the party in the Lok Sabha till the next general election, it will also mean that he will again be the prime ministerial candidate.

While this possibility speaks volumes for the 82-year-old rath yatri's health and determination, it also underlines the paucity of leadership material among the younger members. Although Narendra Modi was named at one time as a possible prime ministerial candidate by Arun Shourie, among others, it was a suggestion confined only to the BJP, for the party's allies like the Janata Dal (United) had lost no time to shoot it down because of the Gujarat strong man's anti-minority image.

What is more, Modi's stars are no longer shining as brightly as before. For one, the BJP did not fare as well as it expected in the parliamentary polls in Gujarat. Secondly, his legal troubles are increasing with the Special Investigation Team set up by the Supreme Court to investigate the 2002 riots all set to question him. If and when it does so, it will be the first time that a chief minister will be investigated for his suspected complicity in the riots - not a record befitting a prime ministerial aspirant.

If Modi is ruled out, the others in the fray will include Murli Manohar Joshi, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and others. But, as is obvious, none of them are deemed to have the ability to hold the party together at a time of trouble, let alone provide inspirational leadership. It is this perceived inadequacy of GenerationNext, which is ensuring Advani's continuation at the helm in the Lok Sabha for another five years.

It is not yet clear whether the forthcoming baithak will endorse this decision or leave the matter open. The delay in holding the meeting and the change of venue from Mumbai to Shimla have already shown that the party is under some kind of a stress. Arguably, as Yashwant Sinha has alleged, the BJP has not debated the reasons for its reverses with the kind of seriousness that the issue demands and does not seem inclined to do so.

Jaswant Singh and Arun Shourie, too, have made similar complaints, with the former even hinting that Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj did not deserve to be made leader of the Rajya Sabha and deputy leader of the Lok Sabha, respectively. The party's two “token” Muslims, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain, have also been unhappy about the Varun Gandhi factor. However, these dissenting voices were apparently not the main reason why the baithak was shifted to Himachal Pradesh. Instead, it was the travails of the saffron brigade in Maharashtra which necessitated the change.

As is known, ever since Pramod Mahajan's death, the ties between the BJP and the Shiv Sena have not been as smooth as when the crafty tactician and trouble-shooter was alive. To make matters worse, the split in the Shiv Sena, and the breakaway Navnirman Sena's attacks on north Indians in Mumbai have eroded the saffron vote bank. It is also no secret that the Congress and the NCP prop up the Navnirman Sena of Raj Thackeray to cut into the Shiv Sena base of support. Clearly, the Hindutva parivar has an uphill battle before it in Maharashtra.

However, the holding of the baithak in Shimla's more salubrious climate will not mean that the BJP will find it easier to deal with its many problems. Even if the party has had a relatively easy run in parliament because of some of the Congress's blunders, as in Sharm el-Sheikh, this does not mean that its organizational problems have become less intractable.

For instance, the party is apparently yet undecided about whether Rajnath Singh will continue as the party president after December or whether there will be someone else. If it is the latter, then no one knows who will be possible replacement. But whoever it is, he will know that he will have to play second fiddle to Advani, who remains by far the tallest leader at present in view of Atal Behari Vajpayee's virtual retirement.

Like the leadership question, the subject of the party's ideology or, more specifically, its basic thrust, remains unclear. Will it be hardline Hindutva, as preferred by Rajnath Singh, or a moderate version as advocated by Advani when he referred to its “inclusive” character at the last party conclave?

Unlike the Congress, which has settled its leadership question in Rahul Gandhi's favour and its policy parameters by focussing on aam admi while inching closer to America, the BJP is still groping in the dark on both counts. (IPA Service)