Mohua Chatterjee
NEW DELHI: RSS mouthpiece “Organiser” has published an article in its latest edition saying 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 voices on the streets.
The Organiser article by RSS member Ratan Sharda, titled “Modi 3.0: Conversation for course correction” comes within a week of the election results that came out on June 4.Interestingly, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat spoke out on “true sevaks not being arrogant” and “decorum was not followed” in polls… on Monday.
Sharda’s article noted that though RSS is not a “field force” of the BJP, party leaders and workers failed to reach out to its ‘swayamsevaks’ (volunteers) seeking their cooperation in electoral work.
Interestingly, BJP chief J P Nadda had mentioned how the BJP had grown and could handle its own affairs and did not need RSS the way it did earlier, with two of the seven phases left for the Lok Sabha polls to get over, in a media interview. Responding to a question on how RSS presence has changed between the time of PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and now, Nadda said, “In the beginning, we would have been less capable, smaller and needed the RSS. Today, we have grown and we are capable. The BJP runs itself. That’s the difference.”
“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 plus (seats) was a target for them and a dare to the Opposition,” RSS member Ratan Sharda wrote in the article.
BJP with 240 seats fell short of a majority but the NDA secured the mandate with 293 seats in the LS polls.
In his article, Sharda noted that 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 voices on the streets,” he added.
The idea that Modi was fighting on all 543 Lok Sabha seats had “a limited value,” Sharda wrote. “This idea became self-defeating when candidates were changed, imposed at the cost of local leaders and defectors given more importance. Sacrificing even well performing parliamentarians to accommodate late comers hurt. It is estimated that around 25 % of candidates were seasonal migrants,” he said.
Sharda, who has authored many books on RSS, also flagged “unnecessary politicking” as a reason behind BJP’s underperformance in the LS 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… 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,” he added.
On whether RSS worked for BJP in this election, Sharda said, “Let me say bluntly, RSS is not a field force of BJP. BJP… has its own karyakartas.”
“Showing off is more important by posting selfies with a multiplier effect is the new norm,” he said, adding, “If BJP volunteers don’t reach out to RSS, they have to answer why they thought it was not required?”
The Organiser article by RSS member Ratan Sharda, titled “Modi 3.0: Conversation for course correction” comes within a week of the election results that came out on June 4.Interestingly, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat spoke out on “true sevaks not being arrogant” and “decorum was not followed” in polls… on Monday.
Sharda’s article noted that though RSS is not a “field force” of the BJP, party leaders and workers failed to reach out to its ‘swayamsevaks’ (volunteers) seeking their cooperation in electoral work.
Interestingly, BJP chief J P Nadda had mentioned how the BJP had grown and could handle its own affairs and did not need RSS the way it did earlier, with two of the seven phases left for the Lok Sabha polls to get over, in a media interview. Responding to a question on how RSS presence has changed between the time of PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and now, Nadda said, “In the beginning, we would have been less capable, smaller and needed the RSS. Today, we have grown and we are capable. The BJP runs itself. That’s the difference.”
“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 plus (seats) was a target for them and a dare to the Opposition,” RSS member Ratan Sharda wrote in the article.
BJP with 240 seats fell short of a majority but the NDA secured the mandate with 293 seats in the LS polls.
In his article, Sharda noted that 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 voices on the streets,” he added.
The idea that Modi was fighting on all 543 Lok Sabha seats had “a limited value,” Sharda wrote. “This idea became self-defeating when candidates were changed, imposed at the cost of local leaders and defectors given more importance. Sacrificing even well performing parliamentarians to accommodate late comers hurt. It is estimated that around 25 % of candidates were seasonal migrants,” he said.
Sharda, who has authored many books on RSS, also flagged “unnecessary politicking” as a reason behind BJP’s underperformance in the LS 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… 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,” he added.
On whether RSS worked for BJP in this election, Sharda said, “Let me say bluntly, RSS is not a field force of BJP. BJP… has its own karyakartas.”
“Showing off is more important by posting selfies with a multiplier effect is the new norm,” he said, adding, “If BJP volunteers don’t reach out to RSS, they have to answer why they thought it was not required?”