Raipur, Sep 1 (IANS) In a reflection on the importance given in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to its women cadre, senior party leaders, including president Rajnath Singh, have expressed their inability to attend the national conclave beginning here Saturday.

According to informed sources, senior leaders who had earlier consented to attend the women's meet have opted out of it due to "busy schedules and health reasons".

The sudden withdrawal by senior leaders has come as a shock for Chhattisgarh's ruling BJP, which is hosting the national women's wing working committee meet for the first time. The party had decked up the city with saffron flags and huge cutouts of the party's national figures.

"We have spent a huge a mount for arranging a grand welcome for the national leaders. Now I have been told that Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, party's Rajya Sabha MP Hema Malini and National General Secretary Sanjay Joshi will skip the meet. Now all the expenditure is looking meaningless," a senior party functionary said ruefully.

Karuna Shukla, the party's women's wing national president, told IANS: "Yes, the key leaders are not available for the women's wing national meet but the conclave will go as per schedule."

However, Shukla has managed to convince the party's former president Venkaiah Naidu to attend the inaugural session Sep 2. Indore legislator Sumitra Mahajan will be present for the valedictory session Sep 3.

Said Shukla: "The meet will focus on reviving the old demand of 33 percent reservation quota in parliament for women candidates, women's empowerment and the rising graph of female foeticide."