Rajnath meets RSS leaders following mounting criticism

NEW DELHI: Amid mounting disaffection within the BJP over Rajnath Singh's style of functioning, the BJP chief on Thursday held consultations with RSS leaders to defuse the situation.

The three-day meeting, which is being attended by Bal Apte, Suresh Soni and Ramlal Agarwal among other top office bearers of the Sangh, is being seen as a damage control exercise for the BJP as well as for Singh, who is accused of botching-up the saffron poll campaign in many states including Uttar Pradesh.

Expressing serious concern over the Uttar Pradesh debacle, senior leader Advani in his address at the recent National Executive meet said the inner party situation in many states required urgent attention and corrective action. "In some places, strict disciplinary action is also needed," he had said.

The meeting is slated to deliberate in detail the strategy for the 2009 General elections and the upcoming assembly polls in some important states including Gujarat.

"Some serious concerns were raised by some leaders about financial bungling in the Uttar Pradesh polls, and remained unanswered during the National Executive. The meeting is also likely to deliberate on these issues," BJP sources said.