New Delhi: Unhappy with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s electoral debacle in the just concluded Delhi assembly elections, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has decided to take indirect control of the party in poll-bound Bihar.

RSS is believed to be extremely disappointed with BJP’s handling of affairs in Delhi where the party ended up winning just three seats in the 70-member assembly.

RSS, BJP’s ideological fountainhead, is also said to be apprehensive of fallout from the Delhi debacle in other states, especially the poll-bound Bihar which is scheduled to elect its new legislative assembly in October.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is believed to have discussed these issues at a meeting with the top leadership of his organisation here last week. RSS second-in-command Suresh Joshi, joint general secretaries Suresh Soni, Dattareya Hosbole and Krishan Gopal were also present at the meeting. Gopal is the link between RSS and BJP.

According to sources, RSS decided at the meeting that they cannot leave preparations for Bihar polls to the BJP leadership and has informed the party that it will strategise and plan for the party in the Bihar polls.

BJP’s tactical retreat in Bihar, in extending its support to the beleaguered Jitan Ram Manjhi government, is seen as a direct consequence of the RSS’s interference.

Manjhi has rebelled against his Janata Dal (United) party and stands expelled for refusing to vacate the chief minister’s chair in favour of Nitish Kumar. He is believed to have rebelled with assurance that all 87 state lawmakers of the BJP would vote for him in the floor test scheduled for Friday. The RSS, however, concluded that Manjhi’s continuation would not help BJP’s cause and the party should instead focus on strengthening its base in the state and reach out to voters.

RSS is known for guiding and taking decisions for BJP. It hand-picked Nitin Gadkari and his successor Rajnath Singh as the BJP presidents and went out of its way to ensure the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi was projected and accepted by everyone in party as the prime ministerial candidate. The play worked as BJP became the first party in three decades to get a majority on its own in general elections.