Sudershan olive branch to Advani for smooth succession

The much awaited ice breaker between RSS sarsanghchalak K S Sudershan and outgoing BJP chief L K Advani finally took place with Sudershan going over to Advani's Prithviraj Road residence for a lunch meeting.

The lunch, which extended to over an hour and a half, was described by RSS sources as a "necessary percursor" to a change in leadership in the BJP.

"Next month is going to be critical for the BJP and the Sangh and will be decisive as far as the future leadership of the party is concerned. In such a situation, we cannot have Sudershan and Advani in a positioon where they are not on speaking terms," said the source.

"A lot of bitterness has been generated in the last six months which needs to be put behind us if a smooth and legitimate transfer of power has to take place," said the source.

That the process of choosing the next leader of the BJP has already got underway was clear from the fact that Sudershan received the BJP brass at the RSS headquarters at Jhandewalan during his three day stay.

BJP leaders Venkaiah Naidu, Pramod Mahajan, and VHP president Ashok Singhal met Sudershan, while the Sarsanghchalak visited the residence of former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee as well yesterday. SoHe had a telephonic conversation with former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Rajnath Singh as well.

Top RSS leaders Mohan Bhagwat and Suresh Soni too met Vajpayee and former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi. The BJP appears divided on whether to elect an interim president or hold a full fledged election.

Also the timing of Advani's resignation, whether before, at or after the BJP conclave in Mumbai is yet to be known. Sudershan's meeting with Advani shows that the latter still has the capacity to inflict damage on the relationship between the BJP and the RSS.

The Sangh appears determined to keep "parivar" relations out of media headlines while Advani appears to be looking for tactical leverage.