Heal fault lines: RSS tells BJP to initiate dialogue with senior party leaders

New Delhi: Observing that “over-centralisation” of decisions at the organisational level was giving rise to a series of “fault lines”, the RSS has asked the BJP high command to initiate a dialogue with senior party leaders and involve them.

Sources disclosed that in the recent meeting of the RSS at Kanpur, it was observed that senior party leaders, including top ministers, were being kept out of the loop regarding some crucial organisational decisions. A list of top leaders who need to be consulted has been drawn up.

It was learnt that during the meeting, the BJP high command, particularly party president Amit Shah, was informed that a section of senior party leaders, including ministers, had observed that they were “not being consulted” in key policy decisions of the party. Some BJP leaders felt that some decisions were being taken “unilaterally”.

The RSS top brass asked the BJP high command to take this into consideration and meet the senior leaders and seek their opinion on organisational issues. Mr Shah and RSS joint general secretary Krishna Gopal have so far met home minister Rajnath Singh, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, L.K. Advani and I&B minister M. Venkaiah Naidu.

The leaders were also consulted about the reshuffle in the organisation. The RSS felt that Mr Advani should also be taken into confidence. There is apprehension that if Mr Advani was “ignored”, he could “embarrass” the party leadership in the run-up to the UP polls.

Sources disclosed that Mr Rajnath Singh, who is also called the “son of the soil”, felt that the party and the government should highlight issues of farmers and also focus on the rural votebank. Speculation is rife that Mr Shah could announce his new team next week.