Amit Shah calls on RSS chief

BJP President Amit Shah met RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat at the Sangh headquarters here today, apparently to brief him on the organisational matters ahead of the completion of one year of the Narendra Modi government. Significantly, Shah is the second senior BJP leader to have called on Bhagwat after Home Minister Rajnath Singh who met him earlier this week.

Though there was no official word on both meetings from either the BJP or the RSS, Rajnath's visit to the Sangh headquarters has fuelled speculation that he had voiced some reservation on the style of functioning and decision-making process of Shah, who is close to Modi.

Shah, who was closetted with Bhagwat and other top RSS leaders for one-and-a-half hours, did not meet reporters to brief them on the subject or nature of their interaction.

However, according to RSS sources, Shah briefed the Sangh leaders about the "success and shortcomings" of the Narendra Modi government in its first year in office.

Organisational issues, including the challenges ahead in the wake of the opposition parties stepping up their attack on the BJP and ways to overcome them, also figured in the discussion.

The BJP is of the feeling that the campaign mounted by Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi dubbing the party as "anti-poor and anti-farmer" was denting its image, ahead of the government's first anniversary celebrations.

On Thursday, Singh had met Bhagwat at the Sangh headquarters here and discussed the national political scenario.