After 12 years as BJP General Secretary, Ram Lal moves back to RSS

In a major move, BJP General Secretary, Organisation, Ram Lal, the longest-serving in the key post and known for his organisational skills, was on Saturday shifted back to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Ram Lal, 66, has been appointed the RSS' Akhil Bharatiya Sah Sampark Pramukh, or co-convenor of all-India public relations.

According to sources, he is to be replaced by V. Satish, 62, the Joint General Secretary, Organisation, and in-charge of the west zone (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra) besides Andhra Pradesh.

The decision was announced after a three-day meeting of 'Sangh pracharaks' at Vijaywada. The post of the BJP's General Secretary, Organisation, or 'sangathan mantri', is the key link between the BJP and the RSS.

A full-time RSS 'pracharak' is appointed to the post and works on deputation in the BJP till his repatriation.

Ram Lal has been the longest serving General Secretary, Organisation, in the BJP, holding the post for 12 years.

According to sources, the BJP had requested the RSS for 12 new youthful pracharaks.

There were four national Joint General Secretaries (organisation) under Ram Lal - Satish, Saudan Singh, Shiv Prakash and B.L. Santhosh.

As BJP General Secretary, Organisation, Ram Lal would coordinate with the RSS, maintain the cadres and work to keep the primacy of the ideology. The post in the past has been held by leaders like Sundar Singh Bhandari, K. N. Govindacharya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sanjay Joshi.

A "pracharak" from the western Uttar Pradesh, Ram Lal replaced Sanjay Joshi in the post in 2006.

Ram Lal is considered rooted to the ground, is known to take organisational meetings routinely, give feedback to top party leaders and keep the state units informed about party's various programmes.

He was regarded as the voice of the party cadres and would address their grievances. He would also step in if there were differences between senior leaders.

Satish, a full-time RSS worker and hailing from Nagpur, worked in northeastern states for the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the RSS before being shifted to the BJP's Assam unit.

He has also worked in Gujarat and is considered close to Prime Minister Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah besides RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale. IANS