Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP President Amit Shah at Nitin Gadkari's residence in New Delhi. (Press Trust of India)
Top leaders of the BJP and RSS met today in New Delhi to discuss the political situation, particularly in the wake of row over the new Land Bill and controversies surrounding the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ways to strengthen the party's base in various states like poll-bound Bihar and analysis of debacle in the Delhi assembly polls were also on the agenda of the meeting that took place at the residence of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
The meeting was attended by BJP chief Amit Shah, party general secretaries Ram Lal and Ram Madhav, besides union ministers Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Mr Gadkari.
From the RSS side, the Sangh's second-in-command and general secretary Suresh Bhayyaji Joshi, besides joint general secretaries Krishan Gopal and Suresh Soni were present.
While the RSS leaders termed the meeting as "routine", sources said the meeting was convened to ensure better coordination between the government and the party and its ideological fountainhead RSS.
One of the main issues of discussion was the current political situation, particularly arising out of the new Land Bill over which the opposition has united and stepped up a campaign against the government.
The last such meeting was held in December at the same place, but this time RSS's second-in-command was also present.