Rajnath Singh eyeing Home Ministry?
Reports, quoting BJP sources, said Singh wants to take charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in the newly formed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
However, BJP's ideological patron Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) reportedly wants him to continue as the party president.
Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi on Sunday held talks with top leaders of the BJP including party patriarch L K Advani signalling the commencement of government formation negotiations.
Modi met Advani at his residence for nearly 40 minutes after earlier meeting BJP general secretaries Amit Shah, J P Nadda former Chief Minister and Karnataka strongman B S Yeddyurappa and party's Bihar chief Dharmendra Pradhan.
BJP ally and NDA constituent Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan also visited Modi along with his wife and son Chirag.
The meetings were seen as the BJP's efforts at kicking off the complicated process of delegating cabinet portfolios.
While Modi held held a series of whirlwind meetings, BJP president Rajnath Singh met senior party leader Arun Jaitley, organisational secretary Ram Lal and Amit Shah.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders Venkaiah Naidu, Kalraj Mishra and Harsh Vardhan visited the offices of the party's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in west Delhi, for talks with senior functionaries.
Media reports meanwhile speculated on the possible portfolios that would be distributed to key NDA leaders.
A CNN IBN report said Sushma Swaraj could bag the defence ministry and Arun Jaitley could be the Finance Minister. former Army Chief General VK Singh is likely to be given a Minister of State post in the Defence Ministry.
While, the BJP chief is eyeing the Home Ministry post, Nitin Gadkari is likely to be given the Railways Ministry or the Infrastructure Ministry, the channel reported quoting sources.
The party's parliamentary board is again set to meet on May 20.
On Saturday, Rajnath Singh had announced that the date for Prime Minister designate Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony will be announced on May 20.
At a meeting of the BJP's Parliamentary Board at the party's headquarters in central Delhi, Singh said Modi will be elected as the Leader of the Parliamentary party on May 20.
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