As the BJP's Central Election Committee meeting is on to select party candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, senior leader L.K.Advani is reported to have expressed his desire to fight from Bhopal and not Gandhinagar. PTI quoting party sources say that Advani is learnt to have conveyed this to party chief Rajnath Singh. Advani is reported to have said that he has no problems in contesting from Gandhinagar but was keen on contesting from Bhopal as he considered it a safer seat. The decision, however, has been left to the party.

Advani skipped today's crucial meeting of BJP Parliamentary Board in New Delhi, where senior party leaders including Rajnath Singh and Modi are learnt to have discussed the issue. Sources said the party is insisting that Advani should contest from Gandhinagar as his shifting of constituency could send wrong signals because of the unease in his relationship with Modi.

The sources said if the party decides to field Advani from Bhopal, Modi's confidante and former state minister Amit Shah may be given ticket from Gandhinagar.

Meanwhile, sitting Bhopal MP and BJP veteran Kailash Joshi today said he is not keen on contesting from Bhopal and had offered the seat to L.K.Advani.

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