NEW DELHI, MARCH 6: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Rajendra Singh is likely to nominate his successor at the week-long Pratinidhi Sabha, the governing body of the RSS, to be held at Nagpur from March 9.The BJP leadership, however, has urged him to review his decision to quit. Singh, better known as Rajju Bhaiya, has expressed his desire to quit due to deteriorating health, RSS sources say. As per the Sangh tradition, the Sarsanghchalak (chief) has to nominate his successor.State-level leaders of the Sangh and its affiliated bodies would participate in the Pratinidhi Sabha to discuss the current political scenario, review RSS-BJP relations besides charting out their future programmes.The meeting assumes significance due to the ongoing political deadlock between the Government and the Opposition over the Gujarat Government's decision to revoke the ban on its employees participating in RSS activities.With Singh's deputy H V Sheshadri, the Sarkaryavahak, himself being indisposed, the obvious choice for his successor is Sah Sarkaryavahak, K S Sudarshan. Singh could, however, nominate even younger leaders like Madan Das and Suresh Rao Ketkar, who too are Sah Sarkaryavahaks.Singh's task is difficult because of the economic liberalisation - Sudarshan has been championing the cause of Swadeshi. The RSS's differences with the BJP over the language issue came to the fore at Nachiketa Awards function organised by the Sangh recently. While Sudarshan called for having one language and one culture in the country at the function, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee asserted that India was a multi-lingual and multi-cultural country.Singh has been under pressure to hold back the decision on his successor. He could reduce his activities instead of quitting to avoid a direct confrontation of the Sangh with the BJP-led Government, senior BJP and RSS leaders argue.RSS leaders feel that their relations with the BJP might be affected since top BJP leaders Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani are senior to Singh's likely successor.Though Singh could nominate a senior leader from the RSS's affiliates like the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh, Swadeshi Jagran Manch or Vishwa Hindu Parishad as well, his choice has been restricted by the fact that senior leaders of the affiliated organisations like Dattopant Thengadi are not keeping well.The Nagpur meeting is also likely to discuss the Government decision to establish a Rs 3,000-crore body Sankhya Vahini, aimed at facilitating speedy growth of information technology. The issue was discussed at a three-day meeting of Swadeshi Jagran Manch at Vrindavan which concluded on Friday. Thengadi has already said the move was at the behest of multinational companies.BJP president Kushabhau Thakre, general secretary K N Govindacharya, VHP general secretary Ashok Singhal and vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore are among the senior leaders who are expected to participate in the Pratinidhi Sabha.
