New Delhi, June 20: L.K. Advani met RSS chief Mohanrao Bhagwat at the Sangh’s office here for an hour this morning.

Sangh spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya issued a statement after the meeting, which said: “In a detailed and candid interaction, Shri Advaniji conveyed his views on various developments in the country and the role of the party (the BJP) and the broad nationalist movement led by the Sangh.

“It was opined that several issues need further discussion and exchange of notes at various levels. (The) same will take place at appropriate time. Shri Bhagwatji also suggested that such useful exchange of views should continue in future also.”

The message was that the RSS was always willing to hear out Advani and that today’s interaction was a step towards repairing what he might have seen as a “communication breach” between him and the Sangh. However, it was underlined, that did not mean his views would prevail.

Sources said Bhagwat had told Advani his opinions on issues raised in his June 10 letter to BJP president Rajnath Singh, resigning from party committees, would be “listened to”.

Prime among these were the BJP’s “current functioning and direction”, the “decline” of “idealism” and the “concern” of leaders with “personal agendas”.

But Bhagwat suggested that Advani should not make his complaints public or take “extreme” steps like resigning from posts because this dented the image and damaged the “health” of the BJP.

The RSS chief told Advani the BJP, like the Sangh, believed in “collective decision-making” and, therefore, nothing would be done unilaterally.

Advani’s aides did not speak on the meeting, nor did the BJP.

Asked about the interaction, former party chief M. Venkaiah Naidu said he had “also met the sarsanghachalakji to discuss matters of mutual and national interest”.

But Naidu’s subsequent comments suggested Narendra Modi’s projection as the BJP’s top leader figured prominently on the party’s radar. Asked if Modi would eventually be unwrapped as the party’s prime ministerial candidate now that the Janata Dal (United) was out of the way, Naidu said: “The nation will come to know who our candidate is. You people already know who he is.”

Until recently, Naidu was counted among Advani’s staunchest loyalists.

Aware that Modi would find it hard to rid himself of the 2002 riot taint, the BJP is crafting a strategy that would neither be an outright apology nor an unabashed defence.

Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar bounced off the line recently when he described the riots as an “administrative failure” but added that Modi was “just” four months into his job as chief minister. “The administration collapsed. Everyone got polarised, including the administration. You don’t have to blame only the leader.”