The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Saturday decided to repatriate Ramlal, occupying the powerful post of BJP general secretary (organisation) since 2006, signalling a fresh look at its dealings with the overbearing Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo in organisational matters.
The decision to recall Ramlal to the parent body was taken at a key meeting of the Sangh leadership on organisational matters in Vijayawada.
Ramlal, who had been loaned to act as an interface between the BJP and the Sangh, has been appointed the Sangh’s national joint publicity and communications chief, and will spearhead the contact programmes of the self-proclaimed apolitical outfit.
“Ramlalji has been made akhil Bharatiya sah sampark pramukh,” senior Sangh leader Arun Kumar told ANI. Asked who would replace Ramlal in the BJP, Kumar said it was the BJP’s prerogative.
Ramlal has been the longest serving BJP general secretary (organisation), and the Sangh’s decision to repatriate him is being seen in political circles as a significant signal about its relationship with the BJP.
The general secretary (organisation) has to endorse all key decisions taken by the party leadership and acts as a bridge between the Sangh and the BJP.
Internally, however, the Sangh said the decision was part of a larger plan to effect a generational change to prepare future leaders for a long stint in a ruling position.
The Sangh believes that Modi’s re-election with a bigger mandate is a victory for the Hindutva ideology, which it has been tirelessly trying to mainstream for decades. To maintain the gains, the Sangh must tread carefully from here, insiders said.
“The idea is to effect a generation change and prepare future leaders to ensure the organisation remains robust. Many more changes to replace the old with new faces will come,” a Sangh leader said.
He underlined that the organisation was the basis of the strength of the Sangh and the BJP and must be closely monitored.
Satish, one of the four joint general secretaries (organisation), is said to be leading the race to replace Ramlal but sources said the final decision would be taken by the Sangh leadership in consultation with the BJP.
Officially, the BJP has to notify the replacement as the Sangh claims it has nothing to do with the internal functioning of the political party.
The sudden decision to remove Ramlal before the Assembly polls in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana indicates a sense of urgency, Sangh insiders said.
“Ideally, the change should have come after the appointment of a new BJP president. The haste shows that all may not be well between the Sangh and the BJP,” a senior BJP leader said.
Many in the Sangh feel that the overbearing influence of BJP chief Amit Shah had led Ramlal to rubber-stamp organisational decisions that the parent body found unpalatable.
Sangh insiders said the “unprecedented dominance of the Modi-Shah duo in both governance and organisational matters” had led the Sangh to look for new ways to maintain its say in organisational matters.
In contrast to the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi and Shah have maintained cordial relations with the Sangh. However, Sangh leaders stressed that the two had managed to have their way with key appointments, politely sweeping aside the parent body’s recommendations.
“In 2014, the Sangh wanted J.P. Nadda to be made BJP president. Modiji had then weighed in to get Shah the post. This time, the Sangh wanted former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan but the duo proposed Nadda’s name,” a Sangh leader said.
