The meeting between the two leaders assumes significance, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the bitter infighting within the party's UP unit. The state, which sends 85 MPs to the Lok Sabha, is crucial to the Sangh Parivar's scheme of things.

Both Vajpayee and Rajju Bhaiya, who share a very good equation, have vital stakes in the state.To the former, it is the adopted state -- he has been returned thrice in succession from Lucknow, while the latter hails from the state and is said to have a keen interest in its political affairs.Vajpayee drove down to the local RSS headquarters at Jhandewalan after returning the the Capital from Lucknowthis morning. He is learnt to have spent about an hour with Rajju Bhaiya.

The two leaders are learnt to have discussed the political situation unfolding in the country. The intra-party factionalism in the BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit is also said to have figured in the meeting, with both of them expressing serious concern at the state of affairs prevailing there.