FILE photo: Arvind Kejriwal
Hyderabad:
Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party cannot be taken lightly, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has reportedly warned the BJP while calling for corrective steps to neutralise its impact.
The AAP phenomenon reportedly figured prominently at a three-day meeting of the RSS, the BJP's ideological mentor, near Hyderabad, which ended this evening.
Sources said the RSS has told the BJP that it should not be complacent and should gear up for the national election, just three months away.
The Sangh was reportedly concerned about feedback on the surge in popular support for the AAP across the country, particularly in the urban centres, after the recent state elections.
But RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav denied the reports, saying, "It was never discussed. Sangh Sarsanchalak did not say anything like this."
He was backed by BJP President Rajnath Singh, who also attended the meeting. "We keep having meetings with the Sangh, today's meeting was no different, there was no discussion on any political party," he said.
The BJP won in three states, and was deprived of a clear majority in Delhi due to the AAP's spectacular performance.
After coming to power in Delhi with external support from the Congress, Mr Kejriwal's government has announced a string of moves aimed at battling corruption and improving civic amenities in the national capital.
The AAP's growing profile has upset the political and electoral calculations of the established national parties, particularly the BJP. Before the advent of AAP on the country's political map, BJP leaders saw their party as the sole beneficiary of the anti-incumbency mood prevailing across the country. The RSS now feels that AAP could walk away with a large chunk of these votes.
The meeting comes ahead of a three-day BJP leadership conclave beginning January 17.
The AAP phenomenon reportedly figured prominently at a three-day meeting of the RSS, the BJP's ideological mentor, near Hyderabad, which ended this evening.
Sources said the RSS has told the BJP that it should not be complacent and should gear up for the national election, just three months away.
The Sangh was reportedly concerned about feedback on the surge in popular support for the AAP across the country, particularly in the urban centres, after the recent state elections.
But RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav denied the reports, saying, "It was never discussed. Sangh Sarsanchalak did not say anything like this."
He was backed by BJP President Rajnath Singh, who also attended the meeting. "We keep having meetings with the Sangh, today's meeting was no different, there was no discussion on any political party," he said.
The BJP won in three states, and was deprived of a clear majority in Delhi due to the AAP's spectacular performance.
After coming to power in Delhi with external support from the Congress, Mr Kejriwal's government has announced a string of moves aimed at battling corruption and improving civic amenities in the national capital.
The AAP's growing profile has upset the political and electoral calculations of the established national parties, particularly the BJP. Before the advent of AAP on the country's political map, BJP leaders saw their party as the sole beneficiary of the anti-incumbency mood prevailing across the country. The RSS now feels that AAP could walk away with a large chunk of these votes.
The meeting comes ahead of a three-day BJP leadership conclave beginning January 17.
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