After Lok Sabha polls hiccup, why BJP has brought in the big guns for 3 crucial Assembly elections

With the Assembly elections slated for later this year assuming added significance in the backdrop of the BJP failing to win an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha elections on its own, the party on Monday placed a group of top Union Ministers and experienced senior leaders in charge of poll-bound Maharashtra, Haryana, and Jharkhand.

The Assembly elections come in the backdrop of the BJP’s failure to win a majority in the Lok Sabha polls on its own, causing disquiet among some party leaders and a section of the cadre because of decisions taken in the run-up to the parliamentary polls, including election management and candidate selection. How the RSS approaches the coming elections will also be crucial after Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat’s public remarks — he said a “true sevak” does not have “arrogance” and that “decorum was not maintained” during the Lok Sabha poll campaign — that were viewed as a criticism of the BJP leadership. The role of the RSS cadre will be crucial, especially in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

In an interview to The Indian Express last month, BJP president J P Nadda said the party had become “saksham (capable)” of running its own affairs, without needing the help of the RSS. The remarks caused some consternation within the ranks of the Sangh.

“All the elections are important for the party. However, these elections have an added significance in the new political situation. Winning these polls is crucial for the BJP leadership as it has to regain its control over the party. Right now, with a review of its performance taking place in the state units, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Maharashtra, there is simmering uneasiness among the cadre. So, nothing short of emphatic wins will settle