New Delhi: Against the backdrop of BJP veteran LK Advani indicating that he would not be the prime ministerial candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, RSS on Wednesday said it does not issue any "diktat" to the party leaders on such issues and it was upto the party to take a call.
"Let me state it categorically that the Sangh does not give any diktats to party leaders," RSS leader Ram Madhav said.
He said Advani had met Sangh Sarvasanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat to discuss the prevailing situation in the country and his proposed yatra against corruption.
"But to conclude that there was a diktat from RSS to any of these things is not correct," he said adding such issues were up to the BJP leadership to decide "within its own wisdom".
He also said RSS volunteers will "actively participate" in Advani's proposed yatra.
"The Sangh has already asked its Swayamsewaks (volunteers) to actively support all initiatives and actions against corruption. They had earlier extended support to yoga guru Ramdev and Anna Hazare in their campaigns against corruption.
Similarly, Swayamsewaks will actively participate in Advani's campaign," Madhav said.
He was asked to comment on the meeting between Advani and RSS Sar Sanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur this morning.
To a poser on whether RSS' support to the yatra was promised after Advani agreed not to project himself as prime ministerial candidate, he said there were "no strings attached".
Advani earlier claimed he had met Bhagwat to seek his blessings for the yatra.
"I met the RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and asked for his blessings. He gave me his full support and blessings and wished me all the best for the yatra," Advani said.
Advani also met BJP President Nitin Gadkari recuperating after undergoing a bariatric operation on September 12 to enquire about his health.
"The BJP President will come to Delhi on September 24. I have asked him to make the announcement about the yatra. By then, the plan details will also be chalked out," Advani said.
Giving details of his proposed yatra, Advani said it is likely to start on October 11, the birth anniversary of late socialist leader Jaiprakash Narayan from his village Sitabdiara in Bihar's Saran district.
Advani said he was prompted to take out the yatra due to the 2008 cash-for-vote scam and the washout of the winter session of Parliament in 2010 over opposition demand for a JPC probe into the 2-G spectrum scam.
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