The RSS, in its meeting held last week, had indicated that it was not averse to the Bharatiya Janata Party proposal. Its chief Rajendra Singh, better known as Rajju Bhaiya, in fact today expressed the hope that the people will give a ``clear mandate'' to the BJP-led coalition in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

His views, which were conveyed to Prime Minister AB Vajpayee when the latter called on him this morning at the local RSS headquarters, is likely to remove the apprehensions, if any, nursed by his organisation's cadre with regard to their approach towards the BJP in the forthcoming elections.

VHP senior vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore, speaking to mediapersons here this afternoon, said it was his organisation's, and not the BJP's, responsibility to propagate Hindutva. ``Their job is to rule,'' heasserted.

The VHP, according to him. had its own agenda which was different from that of the BJP. ``Moreover, the manifesto released by the BJP on the eve of the last Lok Sabha elections was applicable for a period of five years. The issues mentioned in it still stand,'' the Acharya pointed out.

Like the previous occasions, the VHP, he said, will not share the platform with any political party in the run-up to the elections. ``Candidates who cater to the interests of the Hindus will be supported by us,'' he asserted.

The senior VHP leader was critical of President KR Narayanan's role during the recent political crisis. ``It is expected from the President that his behaviour is not just beyond suspicion, but should also be seen as being above suspicion,'' he observed, adding, ``The President did not pass this test as is borne by Vajpayee's statement, in his interview to the `Panchajanya,' that the former was forced to ask the Government to seek a vote of confidence under pressure from theOpposition.''

The VHP leader also made a veiled attack on Congress president Sonia Gandhi. ``It seems there is only one alternative before the people. They will have to chose between Ram rajya and Rome rajya in the ensuing elections,'' he observed.