NEW DELHI - “Keep away from small temptations”, was the advice to party colleagues by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Monday as he expressed concern over some BJP leaders voicing their unhappiness over the party’s functioning to the media.

“The urge (among some party leaders) to see their names in newspapers… to see their face on TV for a few seconds… They should keep away from small temptations. Sometimes, I feel there are too many spokespersons in our party,” Advani said at a function held here to mark the birth anniversary of Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mookerjee.

He was reacting to some senior party leaders speaking to news channels on the reasons for the BJP’s Lok Sabha debacle and the details of letters written to the party president asking for reconstitution of the party being leaked to the media. BJP president Rajnath Singh at a recent conclave had told party leaders not to air their opinions to the media, and warned of disciplinary action if they did not heed the directive.

Advani also recalled the contributions made by Mookherjee, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to raise the party’s stature. He said partymen should “take precautions to avoid mistakes that would negate these sacrifices.”

Advani said the Lok Sabha election loss should not dishearten BJP members. “The party has a bright future,” he said.