Guwahati: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat met chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at ‘Sudarshanalay,’ the RSS Assam Prant headquarters in Guwahati on Sunday, winding up his three-day Assam visit.The meeting is being described as a courtesy call by Sarma after he took charge as chief minister for a second consecutive term on May 12, and it was his first meeting with Bhagwat after taking oath.Political analysts said the closed-door meeting carried significance as attention remains on the expansion of the ministry. So far, only four ministers have taken oath and received portfolios from the CM. Although the nearly hour-long meeting remained confidential and was limited to a few top RSS functionaries from Assam and the northeast, RSS sources said the Sangh wants no dissidence and hopes its expectations were reflected during the discussion.RSS insiders said the Sangh does not seek to directly influence the functioning of the govt, but will continue to act as a guiding light. Its immediate priority, they said, is that the new govt in Assam functions without dissidence or dissatisfaction among ministers and NDA MLAs.“RSS always wants leaders with honesty, dedication and clean image to be ministers,” an RSS source said.At a time when the BJP-led govt’s special focus has been on protecting the rights of indigenous people and cultural and religious heritage, the RSS leadership hopes that the govt gives priority to indigenous communities in the education and cultural sectors. Sangh insiders said RSS hopes that the combination of state BJP president Dilip Saikia, who comes from an RSS background, and chief minister Sarma will fulfil people’s expectations during Himanta’s second term as CM.Bhagwat arrived in Assam on the evening of May 13 and went to RSS’s nerve centre Geeta Ashram in Hojai town in central Assam.An RSS karyakarta camp began there on May 11 at the Sanskar Mandir Project premises and will continue until June 1. Bhagwat attended the training camp for three days on May 14, 15 and 16.After completing his Hojai visit, he briefly visited the ‘Sudarshanalaya’ in Barbari on Sunday, before leaving for Nagpur.
