RSS ‘systematic campaign’ behind BJP entry in Bengal

Mohan BhagwatThe BJP did not just take home a landslide victory in the just-concludedLok Sabha elections but also saw its vote share in West Bengal, where it had little to show in the name of a political base, increase by a staggering figure of nearly 14 per cent to help us personalise your reading experience.

And unlike the rest of the country, where ‘Modi wave’ has been largelycredited as the reason behind the BJP’s electoral success, in Bengal it was the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) “systematic campaign in favour of the BJP” polled for the latter 87 lakh votes as compared to the 22 lakh that it polled in 2009.

“From campaigning in the social media to resorting to door-to-door campaign to publishing leaflets, the Sangh pracharaks did everything to ensure we did better,’’ a BJP leader told The Indian Express.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had been in Kolkata attending an educational camp of the Sangh at Raigunj in North Dinajpur and meeting top brass of the party.

Bhagavat came to Kolkata on May 16, the day results were declared, and left for Raigunj to attend a training camp called Sangh Siksha Barga, attended by swayamsevaks from Bengal, Orissa, Andaman and NicobarIslands, and Sikkim. He returned yesterday to hold a series of meetimgs with local pracharaks and local BJP leaders.

“Our spokespersons in Delhi and Nagpur have said so many things and Idon’t have to say anything more here,’’ Bhagavat said when asked for his response on the BJP’s success and RSS’ backing to it.

Source: Indian Express