Surat forces Sangh Pariwar to dump Modi?

Is rift widening between RSS, Modi?
Rajiv Shah
[ 26 Aug, 2006 2116hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

GANDHINAGAR: Chief Minister Narendra Modi's absence at a two day RSS
meet at the Preksha Vidya Bharati near Gandhinagar, is being seen in
top BJP circles as a clear indication of the widening rift between the
two.

The meet, held on August 24 and 25 to 'celebrate' the 50th anniversary
of Gujarat's RSS mouthpiece 'Sadhna' was attended by RSS general
secretary Mohan Bhagwat and joint secretary Suresh Soni, who
coordinates work between different Sangh Parivar bodies.

Significantly, it is not just Modi's detractors who are suggesting that
the rift is widening on the same lines as L K Advani. Sources close to
Modi told TOI that the CM was "perturbed" that only an invitation was
sent across.

"Nobody went to meet Modi to hand over the invitation as protocol
demands. The CM felt bad about it," said a close aide.

The fallout was that Gujarat ministers and top pro-Modi BJP leaders did
not make their presence felt at the event.

"It was surprising to see that the RSS meet was chaired by a person who
has changed his party half-adozen times. Among those called for the
meet were editors and managers of Sangh Parivar newspapers. However,
three former Sadhna editors were absent," a Modi aide said.

Sources added that this happened despite Modi taking personal interest
to ensure that the August 15 issue of Sadhna was devoted to the Year of
Gujarat Tourism.

"Also, it was on Modi's advice that the Sadhna meet was called," the
aide said. Modi's critics said the RSS was unhappy with him ever since
a sex CD, allegedly prepared by those around him, captured a Sanjay
Joshi look-alike in a compromising position.

The CD led Joshi, all-India BJP organising secretary, to resign from
his post. After the CD was found to be fake, Joshi was inducted back
into the party.

The rift led Modi to not attend a similar RSS meet between March 22 and
26 to celebrate the birth centenary of Guru Golwalkar.

"The CD was discussed threadbare at the Bangalore RSS meet on June 24.
A serious view was taken about those who were behind it," a Modi
critic, requesting anonymity, claimed.

While a spokesperson for Modi said the CM did not attend the RSS meet
because he was, "busy in Surat on July 24 and in other official
meetings on July 25," his detractors are happy that former chief
minister Keshubhai Patel got place of prominence at the meet.

State BJP president Vajubhai Vala attended the meet, indicating that he
too is distancing himself from Modi. "The return of RSS men such as
Bhaskarrao Damle and Pravin Maniar in the RSS centrestage in Gujarat
has taken place at a time when pro-Modi RSS men like Madhu Kulkarni
have been sidelined," a senior dissident leader close to Patel said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1929374.cms

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