Lone RSS opposer to Kalmadi offers to quit

RSS leaders, who claim that Gogte was isolated following his anti-Kalmadi stand, feel the state leadership will ensure that the announcement of the names of new office-bearers — on the occasion of Gudi Padwa, as per RSS tradition — is a low-key affair. Admitting that Gogte’s stand had sent ripples among the workers, they said the entire issue was now more or less dead.

Reacting to Kalmadi’s defeat in the Lok Sabha polls in spite of outright support by theHindutva brigade besides his own support base, they said the votes polled by their candidate reinforced their claim. Moreover, they pointed out, the statewide trend in favour of the Congress had been reflected in the city as well.

They put the onus of the controversy on Avinash Dharmadhikari, who is associated with the Sangh Parivar. “Despite being aware of our style of functioning, he quite unnecessarily went around claiming RSS support. The votes secured by Kalmadi clearly point out that RSS and the BJP went by the directive issued by their leaders.”

It may be recalled that Gogte, who is also Avinash Dharmadhikari’s father-in-law, had sent shock waves through RSS circles by issuing an advertisement contradicting the BJP’s stand favouring Kalmadi. The advertisement which appeared in local newspapers on February 27, had argued that the RSS could never take such a stand, being above politics.