Togadia, later appointed VHP General Secretary, supported Modi when he was sidelined by Keshubhai Patel and helped him become Gujarat’s Chief Minister in 2001. Togadia’s influence extended to Modi’s government, with his ally Gordhan Zadafia appointed as Minister of State for Home.Togadia even hailed the government as the beginning of a “Hindu Rashtra.” However, after Modi’s 2002 election victory, Togadia’s influence waned as Modi distanced himself, dropping Zadafia and curbing VHP’s sway in Gujarat, particularly during his second term, with actions against VHP activists. Togadia, in turn, mocked Modi’s attempts at reaching out to Muslims through his Sadbhavana initiatives.In 2018, Pravin Togadia parted ways with the Sangh Parivar after a significant leadership shift within the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Former Himachal Pradesh Governor V.S. Kokje was elected as VHP’s international president, marking the end of Togadia’s decades-long dominance.His nominee, incumbent Raghava Reddy, suffered a major defeat in the first election held in 52 years. Togadia, who had been with the VHP for over three decades and served as its international working president since 2011, saw his influence wane as Kokje took over the reins.After his split with the RSS, Pravin Togadia founded the Antarashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP) and currently serves as its president. The organization, under his leadership, has established a presence in several states across India.
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