Whatever way you interpret RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statements, it has lessons for the BJP
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. File Pic/PTI
Some people in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) maintain that the organisation chief Mohan Bhagwat’s speech last week, an annual ritual at the volunteers’ training camp, was misconstrued by the media with unwarranted stress on specific things. They say if it is understood that the BJP leadership was given a strong message after dropping the Lok Sabha numbers, Bhagwat’s criticism of the Opposition should also be taken into account. Bhagwat also asked why the RSS was dragged into the election campaign for no reason. Point taken. When the BJP of this era said it could operate independently (of the RSS), why did the opposition parties bring in the RSS? The future holds the answer to this question.
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Last Monday, Bhagwat said the mantra to run the country was a consensus between the ruling side and the Opposition. He decried the polls that were fought by both sides like a war. While defining a true servant of society, he said a true sevak did not have arrogance and served the people by maintaining dignity. So much for the tongues to go wagging, and interpret their own ways. The most common interpretation was that Bhagwant wanted Narendra Modi to amend his ways while running the coalition government, and avoid making the mistakes that had cost the party heavily in the 2024 general elections.
It seems the two sides have already started working on the results and what to do next. The BJP functionaries are expected to brainstorm with their ideological fountainhead in Palakkad in Kerala over three days starting August 31. Kerala is significant because the BJP has opened its Lok Sabha account in the state.
Another news drew the attention of the RSS-BJP observers. Bhagwat is reported to have met Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Aaditynath in Gorakhpur. Closed-door meetings held twice assumed importance in the wake of the party’s poor show in the state that had powered its engine in 2014 and 2019. The second state that performed badly for the BJP was Maharashtra. The RSS chief may have already gathered the required information from the state leaders.
There had been occasions in the past when questions were raised over the RSS-BJP relationship. The recent elections were no exception. The talks of disagreement over selection of candidates and allies sprang up in the political circles, and ended with a conclusion that the RSS workforce was not as active in the field this time around. If so, then it will be on the RSS-BJP meeting’s agenda. There could be so many things, state-specific and country-specific, to talk about.
Weakling, who?
Some RSS leaders have questioned the necessity of having Ajit Pawar as an ally. One of them has authored an article, blaming the BJP’s poor show in Maharashtra on Ajit’s NCP. The RSS doesn’t see such independent expression as its own, but it is common knowledge that the people in the BJP-RSS were upset to be with Ajit’s outfit. The state BJP leaders had to convince them, asking them to understand political compulsions. Now, the NCP leaders have asked friends in BJP if they too endorse the shifting of post-election blame, and really wish to continue the alliance for the Assembly elections.
In fact, the BJP’s official analysis has given the NCP (AP) and Shinde Sena the reasons for the dismal show. Among many, the allies have picked the ‘ab ki baar 400-paar’ rhetoric, admitted as one of the causes by BJP, to stay clear of blame. Shinde Sena has claimed a superior performance, based on its strike rate. Ajit’s NCP doesn’t have that luxury, but a smart colleague like Chhagan Bhujbal has come out with a theory of a 50 per cent strike rate, higher than the other two. Bhujbal said that out of four seats allocated, two were given to the candidates from other parties, and one (Raigad) out of the two remaining, was won by his party. Ahead of the Assembly election for which all three partners want a bigger share of seats to contest, Ajit’s party has decided to turn its attention to Muslims and Dalits, despite knowing that being with the BJP it won’t be as successful in wooing the target voters. Meanwhile, MVA has pledged a grand show of unity for the state polls and promised a crushing defeat for the NDA. But it too has its weaknesses, fractures and superegos working against the common interest. More about it here in the coming weeks.
Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore
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