PM Narendra Modi’s RSS visit in Nagpur signals unity amid BJP leadership buzz

NAGPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) administrative headquarters at Smruti Mandir on Sunday, coupled with his warm exchange with RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, put to rest speculation about tensions between the Sangh and the BJP leadership.
Political observers see this high-profile interaction as a strategic reaffirmation of unity amid discussions over the appointment of the next BJP national president.
This was Modi’s first visit to Reshimbag in a decade since assuming the top office in 2014, making it particularly significant as the BJP prepares for crucial state elections and the 2029 general elections. The visit coincided with the Sangh’s Pratipada programme, marking Gudi Padwa and the Hindu New Year.
The meeting between Modi and Bhagwat, their first public engagement since the Ram Mandir consecration in January 2024, is being closely scrutinised for its implications on the BJP’s leadership transition.
Bhagwat was present during Modi's visit to the Smruti Mandir, and both had a long interaction there. Even during the foundation stone laying ceremony of Madhav Netralaya’s Premium Centre at Hingna, both were seen exchanging pleasantries in the presence of Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshanand Giri Maharaj and Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj.
RSS member Seshadri Chari had already clarified to the media that there is no difference of opinion between the BJP and its ideological parent, the RSS.
The selection of the BJP’s next president has drawn particular attention, as the current chief, JP Nadda, has been serving an extended term since his induction into the Union Cabinet in June 2024.
With the BJP’s national council set to meet in Bengaluru by the third week of April, the discussions in Nagpur may shape the future trajectory of the party’s leadership. The RSS has historically played a pivotal role in this process, and the timing of Modi’s visit underscores its continued influence.