Bhaiyyaji Joshi re-elected RSS general secretary

Speculation was rife that Mr. Joshi, who was completing his three year term, could be replaced by Sah-Sarkaryavah (joint- general secretary) Dattatrey Hosabale.

In this March 13, 2015 photo RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi addresses the inaugural session of the organisation’s Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha meeting in Nagpur. Mr. Joshi has been re-elected as general secretary at the meeting on Saturday.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (the highest decision making body) on Saturday re-elected Bhaiyyaji Joshi as the Sarkaryvaha (general secretary) of the organisation for a third consecutive term till March 2018.

Ending speculations in media about the possible elevation of RSS’s Sah-Sarkaryvaha (additional general secretary) Dattatreya Hosbale as the general secretary, RSS Sah-Prachar Pramukh J. Nandkumar made the announcement of Mr. Joshi’s re-election at a press conference in Nagpur.

“Sah-Sarkaryvaha Suresh Soni appointed North region Sarsanghchalak Bajrang Lal Gupta as the election officer for the post of Sarkaryvaha. Bihar area Sarsanghchalak Sidhhinath Singh proposed the name current Sarakaryvaha Suresh alias Bhaiyyaji Joshi for the post again which was seconded by Bhagvati Prasad, Ramkrishna Rao and Sunil Mehta. Bhaiyyaji was re-elected as the Sarakaryvaha unanimously as there was no other name for post,” Mr. Nandkumar told reporters.

Mr. Joshi is serving as RSS general secretary since March 2009. He was elected to the post in March 2009 when the then RSS chief K.C.Sudarshan stepped down from his post citing health issues and appointed the then Sarkaryavaha Mohan Bhagvat as the RSS chief.

Earlier Mr. Joshi has also served as Sah-sarakaryavah and Akhil Bharatiya Seva Pramukh of the RSS.

The re-elected RSS general secretary will select his team by Sunday, informed Mr. Nandkumar.

Mr. Joshi is likely to retain his team which will include Dattatreya Hosbale, Krishna Gopal and Suresh Soni as Sah-Sarkaryvahas.

According to some sources, the current Boudhick Pramukh of RSS, Bhaggaya, could fill in the post of the fourth Sah-Sarkaryavaha, a post which fell vacant last year when K.C.Kannan was sacked for getting married.

“Bhaiyyaji’s team would have only minor changes,” a senior RSS member from Nagpur told The Hindu .

Bhayyaji Joshi re-elected Sarkaryavah - Gen. Secretary of RSS for next 3 years. Abhinandan n respects

— Ram Madhav (@rammadhavbjp) >March 14, 2015

Published - March 14, 2015 05:30 pm IST