Rajnath mends fences with Raje over lunch

With the RSS backing Rajnath on the issue, the Chief Minister has scaled down her opposition and agreed to work with Mathur. In turn, she has been assured of non-interference in the Government, said sources. Rajasthan turned out to be a case where the BJP chief asserted himself and claimed authority over organisational matters. After the announcement of Advani as the PM candidate, the tussle for Number 2 slot in the party is getting intense and Rajnath is losing no opportunity to declare that he is in command.

Just as he ensured that his writ runs in Rajasthan, Singh rejected demands from senior leader Ananth Kumar to replace Karnataka BJP president D V Sadananda Gowda. B S Yeddiyurappa and Gowda are acting in tandem and Advani acolyte Kumar has been pressing hard for a new chief before the state moved to election mode. As was the case in Rajasthan, Rajnath Singh is toeing the RSS line here too. Sadananda Gowda is considered close to the powers that be in the RSS. Ananth Kumar even went to the extent of staying away from a party rally addressed by Rajnath Singh in Raichur recently and leaders of his faction also boycotted it.

During his two years as party president, Rajnath’s colleagues in the party have not accepted his authority and now the successor question being opened again, Rajnath Singh is trying to project himself as what L K Advani was to A B Vajpayee — steering the organisation, while Vajpayee took charge of electoral bid.