NEW DELHI: Call it a Hindutva rate of growth: Amid a squeeze in the BJP’s vote share in all elections post-2021 Assembly elections in West Bengal, the saffron party’s ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), claims its branches in the state have increased by 25 per cent in one year.
The Sangh figures came after its leadership in Nagpur wanted to know about the organization’s activities in the state in one year before its four-day annual meeting beginning October 15 in UP’s Prayagraj. RSS sources said a large number of branches increased in East and West Midnapore, northern part of Hooghly and rural areas of Howrah.
Ajay Nandi, the RSS sanghchalak in Eastern Kshetra, said the exact number of branches could be ascertained after the organization’s meeting post-Diwali. “The number of branches increased by 25 per cent and at the same time, our social activities too gained pace post-Covid. We have continued to carry out our activities at grassroots levels,’’ he said.
The four districts, where the number of branches increased, are known strongholds of the ruling Trinamool Congress. Political observers found Sangh’s expansion was likely to have an impact in the rural civic body elections scheduled next year.
“BJP’s performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 Assembly elections reflected the contribution of Sangh and its affiliates. Though the party’s vote share dropped after the last year’s Assembly polls, the recently increased activities of the Sangh are expected to result in new dividends in panchayat elections,’’ said Dr Bishnupriya Dutta Gupta, a professor of political science. In the 2019 general election, BJP’s vote share was over 40% in the state. It dropped to 12 per cent in the civic elections held in February this year. Sangh sources, however, said the organization does not work keeping in mind the elections schedule. “We carry out our social activities round-the-year,” said a Sangh activist.
Dilip Ghosh, BJP’s national vice-president, said there was an ideological impact of the Sangh on the party. “The ideological influence is directly or indirectly reflected in the politics. But for securing an electoral dividend, we will have to strengthen the party’s organization and carry out a movement against the ruling party’s misrule. Otherwise, we will not be able to perform well even if the Sangh becomes a stronger organization,” he said.
