RSS tussle with BJP: Mouthpiece Organiser slams Modi's party for 'overconfidence'

Political corridors in India are rife with rumours of a simmering rift in an alliance that led to the emergence of strongman Narendra Modi a decade ago. India's governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has seemingly run afoul of its parent organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), following a setback in the recent Lok Sabha elections. On Monday (Jun 10), RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said a true ‘sevak’ or servant must not be “arrogant”, in remarks many viewed as a veiled dig at the prime minister. Now, RSS's mouthpiece Organiser has launched a broadside against the BJP.

RSSmagazine launches attack on BJP

Writing for Organiser,longtime Sangh worker Ratan Sharda took on BJP leadership for ‘unnecessary politicking’ that led to the party's poor show in the western state of Maharashtra.

BJP had set an ambitious target of sweeping all 48 seats of the state but it managed to get only nine, a drop of 14 seats when compared with the 2019 election results.

Organiser blamed BJP's alliance with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar for the poor mandate.

Sharda wrote that the alliance with Pawar reduced the ‘brand value of BJP’ and also made it ‘just another party without any difference’.

The hard-hitting piece further added that the weak mandate for the government served as a reality check for “overconfident” BJP workers, who stayed away from listening to the voices on the streets.

“Why was this ill-advised step taken? BJP supporters were hurt because they had fought against this Congress ideology for years and were persecuted. In a single stroke, the BJP reduced its brand value. After years of struggle to become numero uno in Maharashtra, it became just another political party without any difference,” wrote Sharda.

Ajit Pawar reacts

Reacting to the onslaught, Ajit Pawar on Wednesday (June 12) said he was sure that BJP's central leadership didn't agree with the views expressed by the RSS.

“The NDA’s co-ordination committee also has RSS members. As per my information, in the review taken about (the Mahayuti performance in Maharashtra), the NCP has not been blamed for the results. The BJP’s central leadership has allied with Ajit Pawar, who is seen as an able leader, considering the long-term view,” a spokesperson of NCP told reporters.

In his article,Sharda also targeted the BJP for failing to reach out to 'swayamsevaks' (volunteers) and seeking their cooperation in elections.

"Results of 2024 general elections have come as a reality check for overconfident BJP karyakartas [office bearers] 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," Sharda added.

The remarks by RSS chief and the article in Organiser come in the wake of BJP chief JP Nadda, who is now a cabinet minister, declaring that the governing party didn't need RSS to win elections.

(With inputs from agencies)