Modi-Shah eager to place Kannadiga as RSS second in-command

Bengaluru: The Modi- Shah duo has always been criticized for its dictatorial style of functioning. After dividing the opposition parties across the country and after having their 'men' in most top constitutional posts, now the Modi-Shah duo has reportedly turned eyes towards the RSS.

If sources are to be believed then, it is said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Amit Shah want to replace the Executive Head or the 'Sar Karyavah' of the RSS.

The coveted position is now held by Suresh Rao Joshi, who is also known as Bhaiyyaji Joshi, a person who has hardly shown any open interest in BJP's activities. The BJP biggies want Dattatreya Hosabale, a soft spoken RSS leader from Karnataka to become the new Sar Karyavah, the powerful post after the Sar Sanghchalak (Chief Commander), the post now held by Mohan Bhagwat. The Sar Karyavah is elected by an All India body of delegates called Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha once in three years.

It is very important for Modi to have his 'man' in this post because, despite the Sar Sanghchalak being the supreme leader, it is the Sar Karyavah who controls the actual functioning of the organisation. Apart from appointing the central office-bearers, he also presides over the meetings of the ABPS as well as the Kendriya Karyakari Mandal, the central executive committee of the RSS.As per insiders, the Modi-Shah duo precisely wants to tap this power through Hosabale and thus manage to get greater leeway in decision-making of the RSS.

According to the sources, in 2015, Joshi was given three years second term as executive head of RSS. "In 2015 itself, BJP national leadership wanted to bring Hosabale to this post. But the RSS leadership declined as it was aware of the fact that Modi-Shah duo would prevail on Hosabale on key decisions. But now duo has started fresh efforts to ouster Joshi from this post as he is generally takes tough stand on key issue," said sources.

Hosabale is presently one of the three joint general secretaries of the RSS (the other two being Suresh Soni and Krishna Gopal) who witnessed remarkable clout in the RSS after Modi became the Prime Minister.While some of the RSS members say that Hosabale is considered more open to new ideas, some say the reshuffle is merely a generational change.

However, the latter argument falls flat considering the fact that Hosabale is only eight years younger to Bhaiyyaji Joshi, who is now 70 years old.All in all, one may have to wait and watch if the Modi- Shah duo succeeds in implementing the route map chalked out to bring its 'dear Kannadiga' to the pivotal post in the RSS.