RSS plays key role in ensuring BJP victory in Maharashtra

New Delhi: After months of high intensity campaigning with special emphasis on welfare schemes like “Ladki Bahin Yojana” and on Hindutva, the results declared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday gave a landslide win to the Mahayuti alliance consisting of BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar) over the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) and the NCP (Shard Pawar).
The trends suggest a complete turnaround from the recently held Lok Sabha elections where the MVA-led alliance secured a massive victory, while the Mahayuti performed miserably. The recent results highlight the consolidation of Hindu votes for BJP in Maharashtra and the Opposition’s failure which continued to target BJP-RSS for creating ‘hatred’ and ‘polarisation’.
Observers suggest that the turnaround has to a large extent to do with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party working like clockwork, unlike in the Lok Sabha elections, where there was speculation that the RSS was not present much on the ground. But that things were back on track became obvious in the Haryana elections and the trend continued in Maharashtra.
In fact, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday evening visited the RSS headquarters in Nagpur after voting for the Assembly polls concluded and met RSS sarsangchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat.
A top source closely associated with RSS told The Sunday Guardian on the condition of anonymity that the results in Maharashtra are a clear mandate for Hindutva and that the recent meeting between Fadnavis and Mohan Bhagwat signifies the “bonhomie” between the two.
“It was seen that all was not well between RSS and BJP during Lok Sabha elections. But the results in Haryana proved that things have back on the right track. During the Maharashtra elections, RSS and its affiliates including Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other bodies continued to work at the ground level in small groups and held thousands of small meetings apprising people about mass conversions, infiltration and others. And the result is in front of us. The clear mandate given to us tells us that this mandate is for Hindutva and our next aim is to repeat this kind of a victory in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal”, he added.
Sources suggest that the RSS held over 60,000 ground level meetings with voters in the run-up to the elections.
The RSS does not engage directly in politics but keeps its boots on the ground focusing on raising awareness about Hindutva and nationalistic issues through its traditional methods.
In the run-up to the Assembly elections, both RSS and BJP played their roles effectively, with the Sangh continuing its outreach via small rallies, door to door campaigning and other traditional aspects with continuous engagement with the people on Hindutva while the BJP focused on its political campaign.
For example, to counter the charge of the opposition that the BJP planned to change the Constitution, RSS outfits went on ground with the campaign “Har Ghar Constitution” which played a key role in ensuring the BJP’s victory in Maharashtra.