Vishwa Hindu Parishad strongman Pravin Togadia on Saturday quit the organisation he had become synonymous with following an RSS-backed revolt which saw his nominee Raghav Reddy being routed in the election for the post of president.

Raghav lost to retired MP HC judge and former HP governor V S Kokje by a two-thirds margin, in what was being seen as a statement of the Sangh Parivars support for PM Narendra Modi who has been at the receiving end of Togadias relentless attacks. Kokje got 131 of 192 votes polled despite Togadia throwing his weight behind Reddy.

The newly-elected VHP president nominated Alok Kumar as replacement for Togadia. The election, the first in VHPs in 52 years, was organised because of RSSs discomfort with Togadia using the banner of the organisation and his perch as its international working president to accuse Modi and his government of betraying the Hindutva cause. Coming during the lead up to the 2019 LS polls, the loss of Togadia suggests his charges against Modi have nocurrency among RSS affiliates.

Togadia wasted no time in announcing his resignation and an aggressive plan to carry a parallel exercise to rally opinion on Hindutva themes. He said he would sit on a fast in Ahmedabad from Tuesday with demands like law for the construction of a Ram temple, common civil code and protection for cows.