The failure of the Narendra Modi-led BJP in getting absolute majority in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections has led to serious discontent in the RSS circles, the parent body of the ruling party.
In a critical report published by RSS mouthpiece weekly `Organiser’, it deplored that the Lok Sabha poll results have come as a reality check for “overconfident” BJP workers and many of its leaders as they were happy in their “bubble” and enjoying the glow of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aura but not listening to the voices on the streets.
It also noted that though the RSS is not a “field force” of the BJP, the party leaders and workers did not reach out to its ‘swayamsevaks’ (volunteers) seeking their cooperation in electoral work.
Neglect of older dedicated workers who worked without the urge for recognition by the new age social media-aided selfie powered activists was also evident in the poll results, it added.
Ratan Sharda, RSS ideologue in this article Sharda said flagged “unnecessary politicking” as one of the many reasons behind the BJP’s underperformance in the Lok Sabha polls.
“Maharashtra is a prime example of unnecessary politicking and avoidable manipulations. NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joined BJP though BJP and split SS (Shiv Sena) had a comfortable majority. Sharad Pawar would have faded away in two-three years as NCP would have lost energy with infighting between cousins,” he said.
“Why was this ill-advised step taken? BJP supporters were hurt because they had fought against this Congress ideology for years and were persecuted. In a single stroke, BJP reduced its brand value. After years of struggle to become numero uno in Maharashtra, it became just another political party without any difference,” he added.
Without naming any leader, Sharda said the induction of Congressmen into the BJP, who had “actively promoted” the bogey of saffron terror and persecuted Hindus and also called 26/11 ‘RSS ki sazish’ and branded RSS as a terrorist organisation, showed the BJP “in poor light” and also hurt the RSS sympathisers “immensely”.
On the question of whether the RSS worked for the BJP in this election or not, Sharda said, “Let me say bluntly, RSS is not a field force of BJP. In fact, BJP, the biggest party in the world, has its own karyakartas”.
