Narendra Modi meets RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat,wants Joshi,Togadia ‘reined in’

Modi,who air-dashed in the morning,was closeted with Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat,Sarkaryawah Bhaiyyaji Joshi and Sahsarkaryawah Suresh Soni for about three hours. Though Modi later told the media that he had long wished to meet the RSS leaders and that the RSS HQ was a shraddhasthan (reverential place),sources said,Modi had come to appeal the RSS to rein in Joshi,Togadia and Keshubhai Patel,who have opened a front against him ahead of the Assembly polls.

Asked if there was any discussion about the Gujarat elections and other political issues,Modi told the media outside the Sangh building: “We don’t discuss politics with RSS.” He brushed aside suggestions that the issue of projecting him as prime-ministerial candidate for 2014 general elections was discussed. “The RSS does not get involved in such things,” he told reporters.

Sources,however,said that Modi is concerned over the Joshi-Togadia-Keshubhai axis working against him. The RSS leaders,it is gathered,advised Modi to learn to take everyone along to avoid rift.

The RSS is in a bind over how to tackle a “haughty” Modi since it considers him as the most important Hindutva mascot,but is cut up with him for his political intolerance and grandstanding. According to a senior RSS leader,“When it comes to the BJP’s roadmap to increase its vote share by 10 per cent in the 2014 general elections by wooing the sections that have not traditionally voted for the party,the Sangh doesn’t see Hindutva as an impediment and would want the BJP to look in the direction of Gujarat to understand how unwavering and firm Hindutva could still work for the party.”

But Modi’s hardline over his rivals within the Sangh and BJP,and his politics of exclusion,as was evident in his forcing the exit of Joshi from the party’s top executive during the Mumbai enclave this year,has the RSS worried.

Also,the Sangh doesn’t believe in projecting anyone as prime ministerial candidate as it sees the move as “non-accommodative” of the view of all. It feels any such decision should be arrived at by taking the view of the entire party after the elections,sources said.

Keshubhai: In tough times,Modi remembers RSS

Surat: Gujarat Parivartan Party president and former Gujarat CM Keshubhai Patel on Sunday claimed that as the electoral scenario became tough,Narendra Modi suddenly remembered RSS and rushed to meet its chief Mohan Bhagwat. “When the election is coming up,he (Modi) remembered RSS and Mohan Bhagwat. This clearly shows that for him,situation here (in Gujarat) is very tough and that’s why he has rushed there (Nagpur) to meet them,” Patel told reporters on the arrival for his ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in the city.