RSS weighs impact of Sudarshan's remark

The recent controversy sparked off by RSS Chief KS Sudarshan's remarks on the leadership issue in the BJP is understood to have figured prominently in a two-day meeting of the top Sangh leaders which began here today.

The meeting, presided by Sudarshan, is believed to have discussed the fallout of his controversial interview to a television channel and felt that "despite the media hype", it had not affected the relation between the two organisations, Sangh sources said.

The core group meeting at the Delhi headquarters is being attended, among others, by RSS General Secretary Mohan Bhagwat, Joint General Secretaries Suresh Soni and Madan Das Devi, senior leaders like MG Vaidya and Suresh Ketkar.

No BJP or VHP leaders are attending the deliberations described by Sangh spokesman Ram Madhav as a "scheduled routine meeting called to discuss organisational matters".

"Besides working out the details of the upcoming officers' training course, the meeting will also discuss the centenary celebration of second RSS Chief late Guru Golwalker and the tour programmes of various leaders", he said.

Asked about the possibility of changes within the RSS, he said, "No such issues have been discussed".

Bhagwat and Soni are, at present, looking after the relations with the BJP owing to Devi's ill-health.

Justifying former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's defence of Sangh Parivar in Parliament, Madhav said, "he spoke the reality. Everyone knows about Lalu Prasad's character ".

The meeting followed recent informal interactions between the RSS and the BJP leaders.