RSS' national 'Manthan Shibir' begins in Amravati

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls scheduled next year, a week-long national 'Manthan Shibir' of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh began in Amarawati in Maharashtra on Tuesday.

RSS chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat and Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secretary Pravin Togdia guided the 'closed door' meeting of 'core committee', at the spacious Vyankatesh Lawns, comprising nearly 175 national Sangh pracharaks and office-bearers, sources told PTI.

The RSS and the VHP kept the media at a distance as they sat down to deliberate over the Sangh strategies and policies for the forthcoming polls. Local RSS functionaries were also kept away from the meeting, sources said.

RSS, which wields influence over the BJP, is expected to discuss the outline of the strategies to be adopted for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls at its core committee meeting on Tuesday, sources said.

The same is expected to be put forth for consideration of the BJP when party president Rajnath Singh arrives on Wednesday.

The BJP's poll campaign committee chief Narendra Modi is also likely to visit Amravati and guide the pracharaks during the shibir period. However, there was no confirmation on Modi's likelihood of attending the Shibir.

RSS dignitaries such as Suresh Soni, Datta Hosbade, Bhaiyyaji Joshi and the VHP's Ashok Singhal are also expected to be at the venue in a day or two.