Mahayuti’s victory highlights the significance of grassroots mobilisation and voter consolidation.
New Delhi: The recent Maharashtra Assembly elections have resulted in a significant victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, leaving the opposition, particularly the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), in disbelief. The BJP secured 132 seats in the 288-member Assembly, while the Mahayuti alliance as a whole won 233 seats. This success can be attributed to a combination of strategic grassroots mobilisation and the silent support of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Following the BJP’s disappointing performance in the Lok Sabha elections, where the alliance suffered substantial losses, the RSS initiated a concerted effort to consolidate Hindu voters.
This operation, described as a “silent” campaign, involved reactivating the cadre and strengthening organisational structures at the grassroots level. A source familiar with the situation noted that the BJP’s robust organisational framework, extending down to the booth and Panna (pramukh) levels, played a crucial role in the party’s electoral success.
At the forefront of this campaign was Atul Limaye, a prominent RSS figure with nearly three decades of dedication to the organisation. As the youngest joint general secretary of the RSS and a kshetra pracharak for Maharashtra, Limaye’s efforts were instrumental in mobilising support across various regions, particularly in Marathwada and North Maharashtra. His close collaboration with BJP leaders, including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Devendra Fadnavis, further strengthened the alliance’s campaign.
In addition to Limaye, Vithal Kamble, a principal and long-time RSS leader in the Konkan region, played a vital role in securing a significant number of seats for the Mahayuti alliance. His efforts in the Konkan-Mumbai region, where the alliance won 65 out of 75 seats, underscored the effectiveness of localised strategies in the election.
Dr Rajendra Phadke also contributed to the success by overseeing communications and negotiations between the BJP and RSS, ensuring that the campaign was cohesive and well-coordinated at the grassroots level. The overwhelming victory of the Mahayuti alliance has raised questions among opposition parties regarding the integrity of the electoral process, particularly concerning the credibility of electronic voting machines (EVMs). However, the decisive mandate reflects the effectiveness of the strategies employed by the BJP and RSS, highlighting the importance of grassroots mobilisation and voter consolidation in electoral politics.