Advani will have final say on poll matters: RSS

NEW DELHI: In a decisive intervention, the RSS brass has made it clear that the party's prime ministerial nominee L K Advani will have the "final word" in all matters relating to campaign, organisation and candidate selection ahead of the general elections.

Almost three years to the day after he relinquished the BJP president's post after the controversy caused by his "Jinnah-was-secular" remarks, Advani is back as in-charge overall. His return to centrestage is seen as the RSS's sharp rebuff to the bid by party president Rajnath Singh's camp to undercut Advani's authority.

The decision was conveyed to top party figures by RSS leaders at a meeting held at Advani's residence on Friday evening. The meeting also considered the need for close coordination between various Sangh outfits and BJP in the run-up to the elections.

It is understood that during Friday's deliberations, RSS general secretary Mohan Bhagwat made it clear that in the case of differing views not being reconciled, it would be up to Advani to take the call. Bhagwat, who was accompanied by senior colleagues Madandas Devi and Suresh Soni, made it plain that there was now consensus in the Sangh on Advani's primacy.

Besides Advani, the other BJP leaders present at the meeting included Rajnath Singh and senior leaders Arun Jaitley and M Venkaiah Naidu.

In BJP circles, the RSS pronouncement is seen as overdue because the party had been pulled in different directions. The RSS felt that Advani, as the most senior BJP leader after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, needed a clear mandate from the Sangh Parivar to be able to make an effective push for power at the Centre.

Perhaps energised by the announcement, Advani held a meeting with party leaders late on Friday. They decided to hold Lok Sabha seat-level conventions till February 16 while the state units shortlisted candidates.