Battle of thrones: Tussle over CM post may hit BJP’s image, fears RSS

MUMBAI/NAGPUR: BJP chief ministerial contender Devendra Fadnavis and Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, who has caused rumblings within the party because his supporters are demanding that he be made the CM, separately met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur within a few hours of each other on Friday night and Saturday.
That the selection of CM candidate should spark factionalism in the state BJP has “pained” the RSS leadership, a key Maharashtra BJP functionary admitted while talking to TOI on Saturday.
The recent show of strength by Gadkari's supporters and over 30 newly elected party MLAs from Vidarbha has not gone down well with the RSS top brass, he stated. “The RSS thinks groupism will take a heavy toll of the BJP’s reputation and make it look like the Congress,” he added.
So fire-fighting measures were the order of the day on Friday and Saturday as Gadkari met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur; that meeting, significantly, came hours after Fadnavis called on Bhagwat.
A helmetless Gadkari rode his two-wheeler from his Mahal residence to the RSS headquarters less than a km away sparking out a fresh controversy of alleged violation of traffic rule by a Union minister. What transpired at both the meetings is not known, but Gadkari after his hour-long call to the RSS headquarters admitted that politics was indeed discussed.

Fadnavis met Bhagwat on Friday evening when the RSS boss returned here after a weeklong north India tour attending the Sangh’s national council meeting in Lucknow.
There are indications to suggest that the RSS wants Gadkari to stay put in Delhi and Fadnavis takes over the reins in the state. The two were advised accordingly by the RSS chief, sources said.
Fadnavis was told to keep Gadkari in the loop on crucial decisions respecting his seniority. The senior BJP leader was told that he had a crucial role to play at the Centre in coming days and it would be better for his political career to remain in Delhi.
It is believed that only after getting approval of the RSS, the party leadership finalized Fadnavis as the CM candidate though a formal meeting with the newly elected legislators to get their views is yet to happen.