With the RSS firm on Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as its choice as the BJP’s PM candidate, his anointment seems just a matter of time. It is speculated that with the RSS asking the BJP to take a final call on this “settled issue” soon, Mr Modi may be named before the “pitrapaksh” (inauspicious) period sets in Septemeber 20, as sought by the Sangh cadre.
Top Sangh Parivar leaders, including those of the RSS, BJP, VHP and other front organisations, reviewed their strategy on Sunday ahead of Assembly polls in some states and the Lok Sabha elections. The Assembly polls are seen as a “semi-final” for the BJP, and will decide if Mr Modi is a “vote-winner” or not, with some reports suggesting it won’t be a cakewalk for the BJP in Delhi and Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh too go to the polls in October-November. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will attend the last day of the two-day Sangh coordination meeting Monday. BJP chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan (MP) and Manohar Parrikar (Goa) are also likely to be at Monday’s meeting. Mr Modi, along with other parliamentary board members like party chief Rajnath Singh, L.K. Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and M.M. Joshi, attended Sunday’s meeting.