RSS forces Advani to stay out of PM race

Under pressure from Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), senior BJP leader LK Advani after meeting the Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday, September 21, indicated that he was not in the race for the post of Prime Minister, saying what he has got from the party is more than getting the top position.

BJP has hailed the statement and said that Advani has emerged taller after making the statement.

Advani made the statement while addressing a press conference after meeting Bhagwat in Nagpur on Wednesday.

“From the RSS, to the Jan Sangh and to the BJP, I am happier to be a part of the party. I do not want to become the Prime Minister,” Advani replied when he was asked if he is the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.

Advani claimed that his party and supporters had given him “much more” than what the Prime Minister’s post will ever be able to give him.

Advani claimed he had come to Nagpur to seek Bhagwat’s blessings for the yatra.

According to reports, RSS top brass was miffed with Advani for not holding wider consultations within the party and the Sangh before announcing his yatra plans. This displeasure was also conveyed to him last week by a top ranking RSS leader.

RSS feared that Advani’s new found aggressiveness could jeopardise the leadership issues amongst the second rung line-up as it aims to project a younger face to take on the congress.

RSS leader Ram Madhav said that this was an issue which has to be entirely sorted out by the BJP.

In contention of the prime ministerial candidature, Narendra Modi could be in the race after he repositioned himself with the Sadhavana fast. Others like the two leaders of opposition in Parliament Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley waiting in the wings.

The message that Advani is giving to the RSS is that after such a long association with the Sangh he is now not competing with the second rung leadership of the BJP for the top post and that he has assumed a much greater role of the mentor.

RSS which once pushed Advani to the corner on the Jinnah issue has not only made its presence felt in the BJP affairs but it has clearly asserted its authority.