Bengaluru: Karnataka-born Dattatreya Hosabale was on Saturday elected as the 'Sarkaryawah' (general secretary) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
He was until now the Sah-Sarakaryavah (joint general secretary) of the Sangh.
The election took place at the two-day annual meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the Sangh's highest decision-making body that began here on Friday.
"Bangaluru : Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of RSS elected Shri Dattatreya Hosabale as its Sarkaryavah.
He was Sah Sarkaryavah of RSS since 2009," RSS tweeted.
Hosabale will replace the 73-year-old Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi, who was Sarkaryawah for four terms, with each term having three years.
Sarkaryawah post is considered as Sangh's number 2 in command after Sarsanghchalak (Chief of RSS) which is currently held by Mohan Bhagwat.
Born in Sorab in Shivamogga, Hosabale, aged 65-years, a post-graduate in English literature, has grown in Sangh, which he joined in 1968.