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Sunday, Mar 22, 2009
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Bhagwat is RSS chief

Neena Vyas

Ensure 100% voting in the interest of Hindus, cadres told

— Photo: Vivek Bendre

passing on the baton: Mohanrao Bhagwat (right), who took over as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief, has a word with his predecessor, K.S. Sudarshan, at a function in Nagpur on Saturday.

NEW DELHI: Mohanrao Bhagwat has taken charge as the new chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh after K.S. Sudarshan, Sarsanghchalak for the last nine years, announced his retirement citing health reasons. Mr. Sudarshan named Mr. Bhagwat his successor. He will be the sixth Sarsanghchalak.

Till Friday Mr. Bhagwat held charge as Sarkaryawah or general secretary. Suresh Joshi will succeed him in that post, it was announced on Saturday in Nagpur, where a three-day conclave of the organisation — the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha — has been under way since March 20.

Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh issued a statement here – he was in Nagpur at the RSS conclave on Saturday – congratulating Mr. Bhagwat and expressing confidence that he would give a new dimension to the work of the organisation.

One party leader said: “Mr. Bhagwat has clarity in ideology; he is a quick decision-maker; he takes everybody along; and he expects 100 per cent implementation of decisions.”

Significantly, a day before his ascent to the top position, Mr. Bhagwat sent a message to cadres throughout the country to come out in full force and “ensure 100 per cent voting” in “the interest of Hindus” during the 2009 Lok Sabha poll.

Mr. Bhagwat said this while reading out his annual report at the conclave — copies of the text of his speech were e-mailed to reporters here.

Mr. Bhagwat said the volunteers must “undertake this responsibility” without venturing into day-to-day politicking. This was taken to mean that while the RSS should steer clear of daily interference in the BJP’s management of the election, it should go all out to ensure that its voters reach the polling booths.

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