Election results reality check for overconfident BJP workers: RSS leader in ‘Organiser’

A magazine associated with the Sangh has carried an article where it has suggested that BJP leaders and workers did not reach out to the RSS for help in the Lok Sabha elections, leading to the party’s underwhelming performance.

The article published in the latest edition of RSS-affiliated magazine Organiser has called the poll results a “reality check for overconfident” BJP leaders and workers, and suggested that leaders were busy sharing posts on social media and did not hit the ground. It has also said that they were “happy in their bubble” and “not listening to the voices on the ground”.

The article written by Ratan Sharda, a lifelong RSS member, appears to articulate the disquiet within the Sangh Parivar over BJP’s attitude towards the organisation.

“The false ego that only BJP leaders understand ‘realpolitik’ and RSS cousins were village bumpkins is smirk worthy,” Sharda has said in the piece.

“RSS is not a field force of BJP. In fact, BJP, the biggest party in the world, has its own karyakartas (workers). The routine electoral work of reaching out to voters, explaining party agenda, distributing literature and voter cards, etc. are its responsibility,” Sharda has said.

Laying the blame of the poll results on the BJP, the article has said, “Results of 2024 General Elections have come as a reality check for overconfident BJP ‘karyakartas’ and many leaders. They did not realise that Prime Minister Narendra Modiji’s call of 400+ was a target for the BJP and a dare to the Opposition. Targets are achieved by hard work on the field, not sharing posters and selfies on social media. Since they were happy in their bubble, enjoying the glow reflected from Modiji’s aura, they were not listening to the voices on the ground.”

Sharda