In fact after the party's defeat in 2004 polls, RSS has been emphasising importance of ideology in guiding BJP.

'It was diluted to a large extent while NDA (National Democratic Alliance, the BJP-led coalition that ruled country 1998-2004) was in power, a lot of compromises were made to maintain the coalition. But now no more of that.'

While addressing a meeting of top RSS brass in 2004 at a farm house near Delhi in the aftermath of the 2004 poll debacle, then RSS chief K.S. Sudershan had made it clear that ideology would have to take centrestage in BJP.

Current RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is only reemphasizing that, said a senior pracharak (full time worker) in one of the front organisations of RSS.

'We hope that by this time the message is loud and clear to party workers and leaders that no compromises will be made on fundamentals of ideology and individuals do not matter. If someone slips, he or she will have to pay the price,' he added.

'However, the RSS has taken a cautious stand of only enforcing this rule in principle and the modalities of implementing this have to be worked out on case to case basis by the BJP,' another senior RSS functionary who has worked closely with BJP top brass in the past told IANS.