New Delhi, April 14
Bharatiya Janata Party President L.K. Advani today met former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to discuss the recent crisis of confidence within the Sangh Parivar
The two top leaders have reportedly deliberated upon a strategy to counter the Sangh Parivar attacks in the background of information that another RSS outfit, namely the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, was going to launch a tirade against the economic policies of the BJP.
While the two senior BJP leaders remained tight-lipped on the contents of the 15-minute discussion, sources said the recent attack, first by Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh chief K.S. Sudarshan and then by Vishwa Hindu Parishad senior vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore on Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani, came for discussion.
Though neither Mr Vajpayee nor Mr Advani have given their reaction to Mr Sudarshan and Acharya Kishore’s observations, it is understood that the former Prime Minister would speak on the issue when he addresses a meeting in Pune on the occasion of Ram Navmi.
Mr Advani, who went to Mr Vajpayee’s residence after paying floral tributes to B.R. Ambedkar at Parliament House, is understood to have discussed the damage that has been caused to the moral of the party cadres by “untimely and irresponsible” statements of Mr Sudarshan and Acharya Kishore. The two BJP leaders met shortly before Mr Vajpayee was to leave for Pune.
Both the RSS chief and the VHP leader had asked Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani to step down to make way for younger leaders of the BJP.
As a matter of fact, Mr Sudarshan had attacked the former Prime Minister and pointed an accusing finger on Mr Vajpayee’s Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra whom
the RSS Chief had accused of harbouring links with Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The RSS supremo had even criticised Mr Vajpayee’s foster son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya whom Mr Sudarshan accused of exercising undue influence on the affairs of the government during the NDA regime. Though Mr Advani had moved swiftly and managed to get a statement from the RSS spokesman that Mr Sudarshan’s remarks and observations were taken out of context, an intense debate has started on the issue within the BJP. The party is sharply divided on the intent and purpose behind the RSS chief’s remarks given during an interview to a TV news channel.
“We were taken a back when we saw the interview as it was bound to cause immense damage to the BJP”, a Minister in the Vajpayee government said and added that Mr Advani has been trying to revive the party’s image and credibility.
But another leader, on the condition of anonymity, said Mr Sudarshan has truck a sympathetic cord with a large section of party leaders and cadres. “Mr Sudarshan’s observations were part of the a well thought out strategy as the RSS is convinced that the BJP is not going to come to power for at least a decade. The BJP has to rebuild and the party’s political fortunes can only be revived if it returns to its original Hindutva agenda”, the leader said.
“In the present political scenario, Mr Advani and Mr Vajpayee should retire from active politics and start grooming the next leadership”, he said. “The RSS is disappointed with Advaniji as he failed to serve the Hindu cause during his tenure as Deputy Prime Minister in the Vajpayee government,” the leader pointed out.
