bjp prime minister

L K ADVANI
Many see him as a divisive figure who has exploited Hindu-Muslim tensions, remembering him for the campaign he led to have a Hindu temple built on the site of a mosque in the northern city of Ayodhya. That is a truth even
Mr Advani is attempting a makeover, reaching out to young voters who have always criticised India's geriatric political class and now comprise a substantial bulk of the electorate. But it is not clear how much success Mr Advani has had in trying to shed his hardline image. The BJP leader is hostage to his party's unchanging Hindu nationalist politics, and it is difficult for him to woo Muslim voters, analysts say. He served as deputy prime minister in the government of Atal Behari Vajpayee until its general election defeat in May 2004, before stepping up to lead his party.
Yet it is the campaign over Ayodhya that has marked Mr Advani's career.
In 1990, Mr Advani travelled across India, whipping up support for a campaign to build a temple on the site of the 16th century Babri mosque in Ayodhya. That led to violent scenes there with the destruction of the mosque by Hindu hardliners, followed by some of India's worst religious violence since partition. Mr Advani has fought ever since to clear his name after allegations that he incited the mob. He could still face criminal charges for his role in the destruction of the mosque. Whatever the outcome, his critics will always accuse him of having encouraged communal polarisation, detrimental to the secular credentials of India.
Mr Advani was born in Karachi in what is now Pakistan and his family moved to India just before partition in 1947. He was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu nationalist organisation from which the BJP draws its ideological roots. But his praise for Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, and his description of him as secular, aroused anger and controversy in India. It was as part of his attempt to reposition himself politically and cast off his hawk's clothing that he made a landmark trip to Pakistan in June 2005.
He is well known as a cricket and Bollywood buff - favourites are batsman Sachin Tendulkar and actor Amitabh Bachchan - and an enthusiast for the writings of Alvin Toffler about the need to adapt to a changing world.
Mr Advani has also been having problems with his coalition. A loyal regional ally in Orissa, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), parted ways with the BJP recently after 11 years - and some of the blame is being laid at Mr Advani's door. Running a national party and a government in India these days is mostly about wooing allies and managing coalitions - a job in which Mr Advani's predecessor, Mr Vajpayee, excelled.