KOLKATA: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has lashed out at the BJP over its decision to open the party’s doors to the turncoats from the Trinamool Congress without studying their popularity among the voters of the state.
Analysing the saffron camp’s dismal performance in the recently-held Assembly elections in West Bengal, the RSS, in its mouthpiece, Organiser, also listed the Centre’s mismanagement of the Covid-19 crisis and the effectiveness of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s welfare schemes as the reasons for the saffron camp’s defeat in Bengal.
The RSS, in a two-day workshop held in March in Ahmadabad, had opposed BJP’s decision to welcome TMC turncoats. The party’s national leadership did not pay heed to the RSS’ objections back then, a senior leader of the saffron camp’s West Bengal chapter said.
An article published in the Organiser, titled Bad Experiments in Bengal, said, “The beneficiaries created by TMC through different schemes, some BJP’s wrong steps like welcoming TMC leaders without judging their strength and impact of Covid-19 on last two phases (of the elections) resulted in such decimated performance.’’
The RSS also pointed out the vote swing from the fold of all key parties, including the BJP, Left Front, and Congress, in favour of Mamata caused a blow to the BJP’s expectations. “Only 2% reduced vote share of BJP and 5% votes of Congress+Left shifting to TMC made all the difference,’’ the article said.
The RSS mouthpiece also criticised the BJP for not effectively managing the support from SC/ ST communities. “There are four major districts where BJP did not get a single seat like in Jhargram (4 seats), South 24 Pargana (31 seats), Purba Bardhaman (16 seats), and Kolkata (11 seats). In Jungle Mahal area where there are total 51 seats, BJP got only 17 seats.
It clearly shows that BJP did not manage effectively the support of SC and ST. From the Matua community also, the BJP did not get full support and it is still a matter of research how this community voted but it is certain, every community gave the priority of benefits received from TMC overall caste and religion-based appeals. It is only the Jalpaiguri region where BJP performed well, got 21 seats out of total 27 seats.”
The report noted that the pandemic may have affected the BJP’s performance in the last two phases. “BJP performed poorly in last two phases, maybe due to Covid-19 pandemic. If we compare with 2019 situations, there are 65 seats where BJP won in both elections, 12 seats where BJP lost in 2019 but won in 2021 but 56 seats where BJP won in 2019 and now lost in 2021.”