Cabinet talks: Sushma calls on Modi, Shourie meets Rajnath

The meetings came a day after Sushma met top RSS leaders, including Bhaiyyaji Joshi, on Sunday.

Ahead of the BJP parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday to formally elect Narendra Modi as their leader, top party leaders on Monday continued their deliberations over government formation.

With Modi set to be declared NDA leader too, the BJP has also invited its allies to the meeting which will be held in the Central Hall of Parliament. Top leaders of the BJP and its allies will then go to Rashtrapati Bhawan to inform President Pranab Mukherjee about Modi’s formal election and stake claim to form the government. The President will invite Modi, who will then go to meet him.

Meanwhile, amid the speculation about her joining a Modi-led government, Sushma Swaraj, considered senior to Modi in the party’s old pecking order, called on the Prime Minister designate at Gujarat Bhawan. Earlier in the day, she also called on party president Rajnath Singh at his residence.

The meetings came a day after Sushma met top RSS leaders, including Bhaiyyaji Joshi, on Sunday, during which her possible role is believed to have been discussed. “It appears that she will get an honourable position in the government,” said a party leader considered close to her. Her move to call on Modi signalled her reconciliation on her position within the party, following Modi’s decision to only call on senior party leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi at their residences.

Former union minister Arun Shourie called on party president Rajnath Singh, indicating a thaw in their relationship which was under strain after the BJP’s defeat in the 2009 elections. Party leaders said the meeting may have been an attempt to pave the way for Shourie’s induction into the Modi government.

Shourie is considered close to Modi and was believed to have provided him inputs on issues related to the economy and industry in the run-up to the elections.

Continuing his consultations, Modi met senior party leader Arun Jaitley and his close confidante Amit Shah early in the day. The two leaders later met Rajnath. Shah also visited the local RSS office to hold consultations with senior RSS leaders Dattatreya Hosabale and Suresh Soni. Modi also met former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who is believed to have discussed possible representation from UP in the government.

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Several BJP leaders also called on Rajnath at his residence. Prominent among these were Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Najma Heptullah, Uma Bharti, Arjun Munda, Gopinath Munde, Yogi Adityanath, Varun Gandhi and Shahnawaz Hussain. Many, including Hussain, dropped in at the RSS office as well.

Newly-elected BJP members like Jagdambika Pal and Satyapal Singh also called on Rajnath, while former home secretary R K Singh went to the RSS office.

Leaders of BJP allies, including Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan, Apna Dal leader Anupriya Patel and MDMK chief Vaiko also met Rajnath on Monday. YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is not a part of the NDA, called on both Modi and Rajnath.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who is expected to arrive in the capital late on Monday, is also likely to meet top party leaders.