Shaken by internal reports that the RSS is likely to come down heavily on BJP chief L.K.Advani’s pro-Jinnah remarks at its four-day Surat conclave beginning July 2, a number of BJP leaders trooped to the RSS headquarters, Keshav Kunj, last evening and today to work out a rapprochement. Top BJP leaders including vice presidents Venkaiah Naidu and Bal Apte, and general secretaries Rajnath Singh, Sanjay Joshi, and Pramod Mahajan were among those who held meetings with RSS’ joint general secretary Suresh Soni over the last two days, sources said. Suresh Soni is the RSS office-bearer currently in charge of BJP affairs, filling in for the ailing Madan Das Devi, who was earlier the interface between the RSS and BJP. That the BJP leadership is very concerned about the RSS’ disenchantment with Advani could be also gauged from the fact that NDA convenor George Fernandes visited the RSS headquarters in Nagpur today and spoke to both sarsanghchalak K.S. Sudarshan and powerful general secretary Mohan Bhagwat. Fernandes, considered close to Advani, managed to develop a good rapport with the RSS during the years of the NDA-rule through his defence of the Hindutva position both during the Graham Staines murder in Orissa and the post-Godhra riots in Gujarat. His words, therefore, might carry some weight with the RSS leadership, it is felt. The BJP leaders and their friends such as George Fernandes are worried that the RSS might come out forcefully against Advani’s statements in Pakistan in a way that could re-ignite the controversy and force a change of leadership in the BJP. Their meetings with Sangh leaders was to plead for a restrained approach that would not precipitate a leadership crisis in the BJP, sources said. The RSS is determined to discuss the Jinnah issue and Advani’s revisionism at its “prant pracharak baithak” (regional organisers meet), a brain-storming session for its key functionaries across the country. However, in keeping with the BJP’s request, the RSS has decided not to make public its views and revised an earlier decision to hold regular briefings at Surat. The RSS is now dissuading the media from covering the Surat meet to not cause too much embarrassment to the BJP and Advani. On Sudarshan turf, George backs Advani NAGPUR: In an apparent bid to bridge differences between the RSS and BJP president L K Advani, NDA convenor George Fernandes today held a closed door meeting with RSS chief K S Sudarshan and general secretary Mohan Bhagwat at the Sangh headquarters here. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of RSS criticism of Advani over his controversial remarks about Mohammad Ali Jinnah during his recent visit. Fernandes, considered close to Advani, is said to be on a mission to discuss the strategy for Bihar Assembly polls. —PTI
