BJP, RSS hold discussion but no PM candidate issue on agenda

BJP and RSS top brass held a meeting, lasting over five hours, to discuss issues of mutual concern but the Prime Ministerial candidate and the Ram temple at Ayodhya issues did not come up during the parleys.

The high profile meeting, held at a party secretary's house on Rajdoot Marg here, was attended by BJP president Rajnath Singh, L K Advani, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her Rajya Sabha counterparty Arun Jaitley, Murli Manohar Joshi, Ananth Kumar and General Secretary (Organisation) Ramlal.

RSS was represented by General Secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, Joint General Secretary Suresh Soni, Madandas Devi, V Satish, Saudan Singh and Dattatreya Hosbole.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was in the capital today but did not attend the meeting. However, sources said he was apprised of the issues and the details of the discussion.

Though both RSS and BJP were hush-hush about the subjects discussed in the meeting, sources said the Prime Ministerial candidate issue did not come up. A section within BJP is keen that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi be declared the party's Prime Ministerial candidate to maximise its electoral prospects.

RSS has also praised Modi but has stopped short of openly saying he should be the PM candidate.

The Hindutva agenda and Ram temple issue, which was focussed upon by VHP last week at the Maha Khumbh in Allahabad, also did not come up for discussion.

Sources described the meeting as a "routine affair".

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