By Rabindra Nath Sinha
KOLKATA: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is playing a significant but low decibel role to assist BJP in the impending two-phase West Bengal Assembly elections that kicks off on April 23. The RSS role, assertive in some ways, has to be seen against BJP’s all-out efforts to form its maiden ministry in West Bengal, where a majority in the Assembly has eluded the party despite the state being home to its founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. It had made a desperate attempt to realise its objective in the 2021 Assembly polls too, but had to be content with 77 seats in the 294 member-House.
Excessive quarters to defectors from the ruling Trinamool Congress and failure to grasp the intricacies that mark Assembly and Lok sabha elections in West Bengal were later identified as key reasons. The ideological parent was not happy with the way the affairs were handled and, therefore, shied away from an enthusiastic and strategic support that it is known for providing through its karyakartas and those from associate outfits. This time round it is different. RSS workers started their interaction with electors more than three weeks ago for phase I and started moving a week back to phase II constituencies, where polling takes place on April 29. Sources IPA talked to said: “Our interaction means conveying the message that ground realities warrant”.
The strategy being put to work this time marks a break with the one BJP had followed for the 2021 battle. Then, it had put up some half a dozen muslim candidates in Murshdabad and Malda, districts known for visible muslim concentration. It was decided beforehand that no muslim would be fielded. Also, then almost 100 defectors were given tickets. This time genuine BJP workers have been fielded. Simultaneously, disenchanted seniors, who have been distancing themselves from party activity, have been re-involved with election job. A fairly good number of them are also in the fray. Outspoken party senior Dilip Ghosh, a former Lok Sabha member and state president, is one example. Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner Mithun Chakravorti is an active campaigner. Only a small number of defectors were accommodated after proper scrutiny.
What is the message that karyakartas are conveying to electors? “It is about their strong apprehension that derives from ground realities that Bengali Hindus have to protect and preserve their identity in their own land; if they fail to realise the gravity of the situation caused by creaseless infiltration from across the long border with Bangladesh; thanks to a callous state administration, they would become minority in their own land. In their petty political interest, they “enable” infiltrators to become eligible voters and ensure their support. Demographic changes will only gather momentum. Already in cities and towns, we find evidence of an increasing number of people speaking Urdu fluently.
Reacting to Union home minister Amit Shah’s oft-repeated charge that the state government is not cooperating with the Centre for border fencing; they are not giving us land; chief minister Mamata Banerjee said: Give us the funds; we will ourselves implement the border fencing programme. Is not a tacit admission that she has been standing in the way. Border fencing is the Centre’s responsibility. Where is the question of giving funds to the state? It is the state’s duty to hand over land to the implementing agency. Is not it? So, we are in our way trying to convince voters that if the infiltration issue is not tackled with an iron hand early, Bengali-speaking Hindus may face an existential crisis in the long run”, RSS Purba Kshetra Prachar Pramukh Jishnu Basu told IPA.
Interaction with sources having close links with Swadeshi Jagran Manch [an associate of RSS], suggests that it is going to be a keen fight between TMC and BJP. They seem to be confident that BJP will improve on their 2021 tally of 77 [after defection, the number now is around 65]. For public consumption senior leaders are claiming the tally to hit the 170-mark. But, their internal exercise, “with due allowance for water in the expectation” shows the party may be getting 130 or so seats. Interestingly, they are conceding that the Left and the Congress, which drew a blank, will get “some seats” in this election. They appeared to be more confident about the Left than the Congress. When pointed out that Adhir Chowdhury was fighting from Berhampore in Murshidabad district and Mausam Benazir Noor was fighting from Malatipur in Malda district, they admitted their strong winning chances and that they may be instrumental for a few more victories in the two districts. They also have noticed the Left has succeeded to an extent in getting its act together. CPM has fielded several bright youth faces with winning prospects.
Perhaps, it was a cryptic remark, but all the same of political import: “I wonder whether we may see a hung House; we know the Bengal electorate gives clear verdicts for years at a stretch. But, the situation this time round could be different. A close fight looks certain and BJP will do well in the Junglemahal region and in North Bengal”, the source said. (IPA Service)
