BJP-RSS meet at Hedgewar Bhavan stirs again ‘early poll’ rumours in Gujarat

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) held a ‘coordination meet’ on Wednesday evening at the RSS headquarters, triggering fresh speculations about early state Assembly elections, which are scheduled to be held in December this year.

The meeting, held at the Hedgewar Bhavan in Maninagar, was attended by senior RSS functionaries from across the state and prominent BJP state leaders, including Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, State President C R Patil, and National Secretary B L Santhosh.

RSS refused to share details of the closed-door meeting but called it a “routine meeting which happens twice in a year.” However, sources said there were discussions on the impending elections, party’s preparation for it and other emerging challenges.

On May 1, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s National Convener Arvind Kejriwal had claimed that the BJP would dissolve the Gujarat assembly in 10 days. Kejriwal, who was visiting the state for a day, also asserted that the BJP will announce early polls, apparently because of the “tension” AAP had created for the ruling party.

The RSS-BJP meeting holds significance, especially in view of the Assembly election, as the RSS' frontal organisations assist the BJP to garner votes. Although RSS functionaries deny participating in election campaigns, its cadre helps in creating “awareness” among the voters over issues of "national and local importance" before choosing their votes. Through its thousands of shakhas spread across the state, the cadres move door to door distributing pamphlets and asking the voters to make the "right decision."