More RSS men will be inducted into BJP

With the RSS’ influence growing in the BJP under the existing dispensation and the swayamsevaks reportedly being the main force behind the saffron party’s historic win in Assam and making inroads into Kerala, the major exercise expected to be carried out is the induction of more RSS functionaries in the BJP for party work.

Currently in the central leadership there are five RSS men drafted for party work — Ram Lal, general secretary (organisation); Ram Madhav, general secretary; V. Satish, joint general secretary; Saudan Singh, joint general secretary; and Shiv Prakash, who acts as the liaison between the party and the RSS.

BJP president Amit Shah is expected to bring in more RSS functionaries as they are “more suited for grassroots work”. In Uttar Pradesh, the RSS is expected to play a key role in planning campaign strategy.

RSS swayamsevaks have been working in Bodoland and the Upper Assam tribal belt for decades. The RSS-backed Lok Jagran Manch influenced the Assam intelligentsia.

In Kerala, the RSS always had a major presence though the BJP never managed to open its account till now. There are reports that the RSS runs the highest number of shakhas (5,000) in Kerala. Not only has the BJP managed to open its account in that state but the party’s vote share jumped to 14.6, an all-time high.

RSS functionaries were also pressed into operation in West Bengal where the party managed to win six seats. Bengal state unit president and RSS import Dilip Ghosh won from Kharagpur Sadar, West Medinipore. The entire RSS machinery worked for Mr Ghosh and even the Prime Minister kicked off his Bengal campaign with a massive rally in Kharagpur on March 28.

In both Kerala and Assam, and even in Bengal to an extent, the RSS apparently played a key role in consolidating the Hindu vote bank by raising issues like nationalism, illegal migration and beef.

It may be recalled that an internal survey carried out by the BJP in UP indicated Hindutva was a bigger poll plank than development.