Facing strong anti-incumbency in Haryana, BJP turned to RSS for help

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has achieved a significant milestone by securing a historic third consecutive term in Haryana, a victory attributed largely to the revitalising efforts of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This comes after a challenging phase for the party, which saw it lose five Lok Sabha seats and experience a decline in voter support.
The BJP’s popularity took a hit during the 2020-2021 farmers’ agitation, leading to increasing discontent among grassroots workers and local leaders.
An internal RSS survey in August revealed that the Haryana government, under then Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, was losing its sheen, prompting a call for a change in leadership and strategy. The BJP sought assistance from the RSS to rebuild trust with rural voters and activate its grassroots machinery.
A crucial meeting on July 29 in New Delhi brought together key figures, including RSS joint general secretary Arun Kumar, Haryana BJP Chief Mohanlal Bardoli, and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The discussions focused on revitalising party engagement at the grassroots level.
Important decisions were made regarding candidate selection, improving relations with rural voters, promoting beneficiary schemes, and coordinating efforts between party workers and candidates.
In early September, the RSS launched a rural voter outreach programme, deploying at least 150 volunteers to each district. This initiative aimed to strengthen connections with rural communities and address the growing anti-incumbency sentiment against the BJP government.
The outreach programme emphasised activating local party workers and leaders, transforming negative perceptions into positive support for the BJP.
Meanwhile, political commentator Rajat Sethi, while speaking to India Today TV’s News Director Rahul Kanwal, while reacting to the BJP’s outreach programme, said, “Nothing works better than a simple admission of folded hand requests.”
“The problem he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) was facing was his cadres not coming in full swing. More than 16,000 meetings were done by the RSS. They went door-to-door, word was spread by the RSS instead of BJP cadres. At the end of the day, it’s about knocking at every door with a folded hand and requesting a vote,” Sethi said.
The RSS also advised the BJP to consider candidates with strong voter support from various parties. This strategic shift aimed to engage disillusioned voters and create harmony between turncoats and existing BJP workers.
Additionally, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was tasked with enhancing his visibility among rural voters, particularly in his own constituency of Ladwa, where he faced backlash.
Saini met with khap and panchayat leaders who had expressed dissatisfaction with Khattar’s administration. Discontent among MLAs regarding Khattar’s unavailability was also addressed, with the RSS suggesting a more hands-on approach from Saini to bridge the gap between the government and the party’s grassroots.
The RSS’s management structure proved instrumental in this effort. Volunteers were directed to collaborate with mandal karykartas and local panchayat-level workers through chaupals to ensure effective voter outreach.
Between September 1 and 9, the RSS conducted around 90 meetings in each Assembly constituency and nearly 200 meetings with party workers and rural voters, aiming to reinforce party unity and strategy.
Senior RSS officials acknowledged that the combined dissatisfaction among the public and party workers contributed to the BJP’s poor performance in previous elections. The organisation recognised the critical need for intervention to restore confidence in the party’s governance and leadership.
Interestingly, while the RSS remained absent from the Lok Sabha campaign, its subsequent involvement was pivotal in the Assembly elections. Instead of explicitly urging voters to support the BJP, RSS activists focused on highlighting the importance of a stable government for the nation’s progress.
Had the RSS not intervened, analysts suggest that the BJP might have struggled to secure a third term. Their initiatives not only helped to unify the party but also mitigated potential polarisation between Jats and Dalits, crucial for maintaining voter support.
The successful collaboration between the RSS and BJP has been hailed as a key factor in the party’s impressive electoral performance.
As Haryana looks ahead, this victory underscores the importance of grassroots engagement and strategic alignment between party leadership and its foundational organisation.