Shah meets RSS chief to discuss N-E

Nagpur: BJP national president Amit Shah visited the city on Sunday to discuss the political situation in the northeast with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari after the declaration of assembly election results in three states — Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya on Saturday.
BJP has won a clear majority in Tripura and hopes to form coalition governments in the remaining two states.

Shah reached the city at around 12 noon by a special flight and proceeded to Gadkari’s Ravi Nagar residence for lunch. Gadkari is the party’s observer for Tripura and will have a role in selecting the new chief minister. Sources in BJP said that Shah instructed Gadkari to hold parleys with newly elected party MLAs before announcing the new CM. Biplab Kumar Deb is said to be the frontrunner for the post.

The BJP president then proceeded to Sangh headquarters where he remained closeted with Bhagwat and sarkaryawah Bhaiyaji Joshi for hours. Sources said that the game plan to form governments in Nagaland and Meghalaya was discussed.

BJP has 11 seats in Nagaland assembly and is in a position to form government with its pre-poll ally Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and with the help of smaller players. The situation in Meghalaya is, however, against the saffron party. Congress is the largest party with 21 seats in the 60-member House while BJP has only 2 seats. BJP’s ally in NDA — National People’s Party (NPP) — has 19 seats and the national party wants to keep Congress out of power by supporting a coalition of NPP and other parties.

Shah also discussed with Bhagwat and Joshi the strategy for Karnataka elections to be held in April. Winning the southern state has become a prestige issue for both BJP and RSS. It will allow the two to gain a foothold in south India and help achieve their greater goal of forming government in Kerala.