RSS prepares BJP for rise of 2nd generation
With the RSS signalling the marginalisation of 85-year-old L.K. Advani, the saffron brigade is set to witness the rise of three leaders — Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and BJP chief Nitin Gadkari.
Sources disclosed that while Gadkari, who got a second term cleared by the RSS, will be controlling the organisation, the party will tacitly project both Modi and Jaitley as the party’s future leaders, along the lines of the Atal-Advani pair.
While the RSS is miffed with Advani for criticising Gadkari in his blog, it has already made it clear that the party will now be run by second-generation leaders.
If Modi is considered one of the BJP’s prime ministerial candidates, Jaitley is the BJP’s main trouble-shooter and is also considered as a PM candidate from the party. Both Modi and Jaitley share a good rapport; Jaitley is a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat. On many occasions, Jaitley has bailed the party out of crises, the most recent being Karnataka and Rajasthan.
Jaitley, sources said, not only pacified former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje, who threatened to quit the party recently, but his intervention in Karnataka, where former CM B.S. Yeddyurappa had staged a revolt against the party, saved the ruling BJP from a split.
Speculation has been rife that after the Gujarat Assembly polls, Modi will be brought into the national political scenario. A recent assessment by the RSS has shown that its cadre is in favour of Modi becoming the BJP’s PM candidate. However, much depends on his acceptability with the others in the NDA.
The RSS, sources said, is aware of Modi’s 'post-Godhra-carnage' tag, which can become a major hurdle in expanding the NDA fold. In all likelihood, key NDA partner JD(U), whose Bihar CM Nitish Kumar doesn’t share a good rapport with Mr Modi, will be the first one to object if the Gujarat CM is projected as a candidate for PM.
The RSS top brass, it is learnt, is not happy with Modi’s 'individualistic' attitude and has conveyed this to him on many occasions.
Post new comment