Welcoming Rajnath Singh's elevation as Bharatiya Janata Party president, the Sangh Parivar on Saturday expressed hope that he will steer the party on the path of ideology and discipline and the principles of collective leadership.

"Rajnath Singh is a senior and mature leader. He is taking over the reins of the party at a time when the party and polity at large is facing major challenges.

"We are sure that under the able guidance of stalwarts like Vajpayee and Advani and efficient and able colleagues in the party, Singh will be able to take on the challenges successfully and steer the party on the path of ideology, idealism, discipline and value-based politics with renewed vigour on the principles of collective leadership," Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh spokesman Ram Madhav said.

Madhav's emphasis on ideology and discipline assumes significance as it had expressed its concern over the ideological deviation and organisational indiscipline in the wake of Advani's remarks on Jinnah and asked him to step down.

Its description of Advani as a 'stalwart' also signifies that with his resignation, his position in the Sangh hierarchy remains restored.

However, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which had been highly critical of both Advani and Vajpayee, blamed the 'old leadership' for abandoning the politics of ideology for 'politics of convenience' and expressed hope that under Singh's leadership, the neglected Hindutva ideology will get its due.

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