NEW DELHI, Jan 22: A leadership tussle in India’s main opposition group came to a head on Tuesday when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari resigned and paved the possible election of a former BJP chief to lead the party in general elections due in 2014.

Reports described Mr Gadkari’s resignation as a sudden and dramatic twist, who was apparently forced to quit following corruption charges. Former BJP president Rajnath Singh, who ruled the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh as chief minister, is tipped to succeed Mr Gadkari.

In a late-night development, Mr Gadkari issued a statement opting out of the election scheduled on Wednesday, saying he did not want that allegations against him should in any way adversely affect the interests of BJP.

“I have, therefore, decided not to seek a second term as the president of BJP,” he said.Mr Gadkari, whose candidature was being strongly pushed by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), ideological fountainhead of the BJP, despite reservations within the party, was all set for re-election before former foreign minister Yashwant Sinha decided on Tuesday evening to throw his hat in the ring.

The move by Mr Sinha, who had earlier demanded Mr Gadkari’s resignation in the wake of allegations of impropriety by his firm Purti Group, forced top BJP leaders including Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, M. Venkaiah Naidu and RSS representative Ram Lal into a huddle to deliberate on the evolving situation.

After the meeting, Mr Rajnath Singh’s name emerged as the consensus alternative, Press Trust of India said.

The 62-year-old Mr Singh is also considered close to RSS and that appeared to have tilted the balance in his favour.