MUMBAI: BJP president Amit Shah is learnt to have held a meeting with senior RSS leaders in Mumbai on Friday. On the background of an upbeat mood within the BJP after exit polls in five states, the urgent and secret meeting has led to several speculations in political circles.
Shah is learnt to have met RSS Sarkaryawah (General Secretary) Bhaiyaji Joshi and Sah-Sarkaryawah (Joint General Secretary) Dr. Krishna Gopal at Yashwant Bhavan office of the RSS located at Parel in central Mumbai.
Though, sources within BJP confirmed Saha’s visit, they were tightlipped about the details of the meeting.
According to sources Shah landed at Mumbai airport at around 10 in the morning. He was accompanied by his wife. Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar received Shah at the airport, from where they left for the meeting while Shah’s wife preferred to visit the Siddhivinayak temple. Shah’s meeting lasted only for about half an hour and he flew back to Delhi at around 12 noon.
With possibilities of BJP forming government in four states after Saturday’s results, Shah might have flown in to discuss possible names for Chief Ministerial candidates, a senior state BJP functionary told the Express.
“Chief Ministers in BJP-ruled states in the past couple of years have distinct RSS mark on them. They are either former RSS pracharaks or close to the RSS. Shah might have come with a list of probable candidates for chief ministers for final approval,” the BJP leader said.
Joshi, who is in Mumbai for the past few days to prepare for the annual ‘Pratinidhi Sabha’ (General Body Meeting) of the RSS to be held at Coimbatore next week was joined by Dr Krishna Gopal on Thursday night, sources within the RSS told the Express.