Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Results reality check for 'overconfident' BJP workers, says RSS mouthpiece

An article in the latest issue of "Organiser" magazine also noted that BJP leaders and workers did not reach out to its swayamsevaks.

New Delhi: Pointing at worsening ties between BJP and its ideological parent organisation, an article in the RSS mouthpiece Organiser stated that “overconfidence” and “false ego” had ultimately resulted in BJP’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls. The article says that the results were a “reality check” for BJP workers who did not seek help from the RSS.

An article, written by RSS member Ratan Sharda, said that the result of the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls, where the BJP won 240 seats, will serve as a reality check for the BJP.

“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,” Sharda wrote in the article.

While the BJP has fallen short of a majority, with the help of NDA partners, especially the Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), the BJP’s was sworn to power a third consecutive time. The BJP currently has 240 seats while the NDA alliance collectively has 293 MPs in the Lower House. The I.N.D.I.A. bloc, in comparison, has 237 seats after three Independent MPs pledged their support to the Congress.

“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 the voices on the ground,” Sharda further wrote in his article.

Further, bringing to attention the widening chasm between the BJP and RSS, Sharda says that BJP party workers had “false ego” that they 'understood' the realities of politics in modern India better.

“The false ego that only BJP leaders understand ‘realpolitik’ and RSS cousins were village bumpkins is smirk worthy … RSS is not a field force of BJP. In fact, BJP, the biggest party in the world, has its own karyakartas (workers). The routine electoral work of reaching out to voters, explaining party agenda, distributing literature and voter cards, etc. are its responsibility,” the piece further states. “If BJP volunteers don’t reach out to RSS, they have to answer why they thought it was not required.”

The article comes alongside the comments of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who, on Monday, said in a function, said that elections should be a “consensus-building” process, and the Opposition should be identified as “pratipaksh” (counterpart).

In his article, Sharda also complained that the “biggest grouse” of any BJP or RSS worker and common citizen for years has been the “difficulty or even impossibility” of meeting the local MP or MLA. “Insensitivity to their problems is another dimension. Why are BJP elected MPs and Ministers always ‘busy’? Why are they never visible in their constituencies? Why is it so difficult to respond to messages,” Sharda said.

He also questioned the strategy to fight each of the 543 seats in Modi’s name. “The idea that Modiji is fighting on all 543 seats has a limited value. 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,” Sharda wrote.

"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, BJP reduced its brand value. After years of struggle to become numero uno in Maharashtra, it became just another political party without any difference," he added.

The BJP fared poorly in Maharashtra as it could win only nine seats compared to the 2019 tally of 23 constituencies out of the total 48. Shiv Sena led by Shinde faction bagged seven seats and Ajit Pawar-led NCP just one.

Without naming any leader, Sharda said the induction of Congressmen into the BJP, who had "actively promoted" the bogey of saffron terror and persecuted Hindus and also called 26/11 'RSS ki sazish' and branded RSS as a terrorist organisation, showed the BJP "in poor light" and also hurt the RSS sympathisers "immensely".

Lok Sabha Election 2024 results | Check all constituency results here

Odisha Assembly poll 2024 results| Check constituency results here

Andhra Pradesh Assembly poll 2024 results | Check constituency results here

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | Narendra Modi's '400-paar' hopes faced stiff competition from Rahul Gandhi's I.N.D.I.A. in an election whose result came as a surprise. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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