Mumbai, April 25 (IANS): The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) must allow women to become its members, Trupti Desai, who has been leading a campaign for women's right to worship in temples, said on Monday.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party was elected to power on the basis of women's votes. Women should be allowed to join the RSS to which the BJP is affiliated," she said.

Desai said she would soon write to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on the issue as part of her campaign for gender equality.

The demand was promptly opposed by Kanta Nalawade, vice president of the BJP's Maharashtra unit who said Desai should focus her energies on other issues concerning women instead of making "ridiculous demands".

Desai has been in the news for months for leading a campaign to secure women's entry into the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district and the Trimbakeshwar Temple in Nashik district.

She is the founder of an organisation called the 'Bhumata Brigade' which claims to have 4,000 members.

Desai has said she will now start a campaign on April 28 for women's entry into the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai followed by the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.