Agartala, May 23 (IANS): The chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohan Bhagwat, arrived here on Thursday on a five-day visit to Tripura and attended a training programme for RSS cadres and karyakartas from the eight states in the northeast region.

RSS sources said that Bhagwat would stay at the Seva Dham in Khayerpur on the outskirts of Agartala, where he attended the training programme.

The 20-day training programme, which started at the Seva Dham, the RSS headquarters in Tripura, on May 18, is being conducted by Umesh Chakraborty, Sanghchalak, Northeast Zone.

“In all, 152 trainees, 30 teachers and 40 karyakartas (functionaries) from eight northeastern states are taking part in the training programme,” an RSS functionary told IANS.

He also said that 14 such training camps would be held across the country in the coming months which Bhagwat and RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale will attend.

Terming Bhagwat’s visit to the northeastern state ahead of the announcement of Lok Sabha election results on June 4 as significant, political pundits said the RSS has stepped up its efforts to further expand its base in the northeastern states.

There are more than two dozen apolitical organisations associated with the RSS that are active in the region.