New Delhi: With campaigning for the West Bengal assembly elections now underway, internal assessments from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh indicate strong confidence in improving its electoral position in the state. At the same time, these assessments reflect a broader endorsement of the Centre’s strategic and policy record over the past decade.
The West Bengal assembly elections are being held in phases on 23rd April and 29th April, placing the state at the centre of the current political cycle.
Inputs from Sangh-linked organisers indicate that preparations in the state have been continuous rather than election-driven, with cadre engagement sustained over several years across districts.
According to these assessments, there is no district in West Bengal where RSS functionaries are not active, and local-level outreach forms the backbone of the effort. Internally, there is confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party will improve upon its 2021 tally of 77 seats, with the current push described as the most extensive organisational exercise undertaken in the state so far.
Attention within the Sangh is also aligned to the next major electoral milestone, the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, which are due in early 2027, with the current assembly’s term ending in March 2027.
This timeline is seen as significant beyond state electoral politics. Sources indicate that March 2027 is being viewed internally as a possible inflection point within the RSS, with discussions including the possibility of leadership changes at the highest level, including a scenario where Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat steps down, though no formal decision has been communicated.
On the Centre-organisation equation, organisational sources described a high degree of alignment, with no friction that could affect governance or political direction.
This alignment is reflected in how the government’s record is being framed within the Sangh ecosystem. Functionaries pointed to sustained defence preparedness since the Narendra Modi government assumed office in May 2014, stating that the success of Operation Sindoor, as well as earlier cross-border strikes on terror facilities in Pakistan, were outcomes of the strengthening of military capability over the past decade.
On the economic and strategic front, multiple decisions were cited to argue that India has exercised policy autonomy despite external pressure from powerful entities.
These include the continued purchase of discounted Russian crude oil after the Ukraine conflict, and the export of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, signalling a shift in India’s defence posture. The Philippines signed a $375 million deal for BrahMos in January 2022, becoming the first confirmed export customer. Advanced discussions have been held with Vietnam and Indonesia, while interest has also been indicated by countries such as the UAE, pointing to a widening export trajectory.
A key example repeatedly cited is the repatriation of gold reserves, now framed not as an isolated move but as a sustained policy shift. Between March 2023 and September 2025, India repatriated nearly 274 tonnes of gold from overseas vaults. Of this, more than 64 tonnes were brought back in just six months during the 2025 to 2026 financial year. By September 2025, over 575 tonnes of India’s gold was held within the country, accounting for more than 65 percent of total reserves.
This constitutes one of the largest movements of India’s gold since the 1990s, and is being interpreted internally as a structural shift in how the state approaches financial security, reserve management, and sovereign control over critical assets.
The broader conclusion within the RSS ecosystem is that the government remains in a position of strength, anchored by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, both described as operating with a high-intensity, work-driven approach.
Outcomes such as the decline in left-wing extremism and significant reductions in terrorism-related activity in Jammu and Kashmir are being attributed to sustained policy focus over a 10 to 12 year period, eliminating challenges that had persisted for decades.
Sources added that periodic episodes, for decades, are often projected to suggest tensions between the Sangh and the party, but such narratives, they said, have consistently faded without altering the underlying alignment.
