Maharashtra election results 2024: How RSS’ stealth campaign shaped Mahayuti’s victory

RSS played a crucial role in shaping Maharashtra Assembly elections, focusing on urban voter mobilization and supporting BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological backbone of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), played a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections. Unlike its relatively subdued involvement in Lok Sabha polls, the RSS adopted a more proactive approach this time, reflecting the stakes at hand.

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Maharashtra, where the RSS headquarters is in Nagpur — the State’s second capital — holds symbolic and strategic importance for the organisation. Losing this State would have been a major blow to its influence and ideological objectives.

While the Mahayuti, the alliance of the BJP and its partners, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and ideological contrast Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) emerged victorious, the RSS’s contribution went far beyond symbolic support. Staying true to its tradition of operating behind the scenes, the Sangh focussed on silent yet effective voter mobilisation efforts, particularly in urban centres such as Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur.

“The RSS recognised the importance of ensuring high voter turnout in cities where its influence is deeply rooted,” said a senior RSS functionary. “Our role was to create awareness and encourage voters to come out and make their voice heard.”

This involved extensive groundwork by RSS cadres, who leveraged their network of shakhas (branches) and affiliated organisations to reach out to communities at the grassroots level. It also capitalised on its apolitical yet influential image to attract fence-sitters who might not have been swayed by conventional party campaigns. This approach was particularly effective in countering the Opposition’s narrative.

One of the major challenges in urban constituencies is voter apathy, which often skews election outcomes. The RSS, aware of this trend, made it a priority to engage urban voters, stressing on the importance of “stability and development” under the BJP-led government. Through door-to-door campaigns, community meetings, and informal gatherings, the Sangh successfully conveyed its message without overtly associating itself with political campaigning, especially in all the Assembly segments in Nagpur and Pune.