With the assembly elections in Maharashtra approaching, the vote polarization has quickly accelerated. In certain areas, fatwas are being released to divide Muslim voters, while in other regions, efforts are underway to deliver pamphlets directly to homes to further increase vote polarization. Everyone has observed how Muslim organizations and clerics try to polarize the electorate, along with the Mahayuti parties’ allegations of vote jihad against them. Now let us discuss the Sangh Parivar, which aims to consolidate Hindu votes.
In fact, since the outset, the Sangh Parivar has persistently conducted small gatherings via its affiliated groups across Maharashtra. At present, enhancing that momentum, it has begun dispatching different affiliate organizations to go door-to-door and inform Hindu voters. In this series, the RSS has launched a new initiative called ‘Sajg Raho’. In this context, the Sangh has mobilized its 33 affiliates and around 100 organizations from the Vichar Parivar on the ground.
The groups that the RSS has included in the ‘Sajg Raho’ campaign are headed by Chanakya Pratishthan, Matang Sahitya Parishad, Ranragini, and Sevabhavi Sanstha. All these organizations operate in each of the four regional divisions of the RSS in Maharashtra (Konkan, Devgiri, West Maharashtra, and Vidarbha). In Maharashtra, the RSS has learned that over 180 NGOs are tirelessly working to unite Muslim voters under the guidance of the Marathi Muslim Seva Sangh.
The Sangh has acquired information that Muslim groups linked to the Marathi Muslim Seva Sangh have been active for years in efforts to include Muslim voters’ names on the voter list and encourage them to participate in voting. Thanks to the efforts of these organizations, the proportion of Muslim voters participating in elections rose by 15% in 2024. Consequently, the Sangh, which was already operating with twice its capacity, has toiled day and night to bring together the Hindu electorate.
In this series, prominent BJP leaders have begun cautioning the Hindu community with their remarks and dividing the votes. The campaign ‘Sajg Raho’ by RSS is included in the same series. In this, Prime Minister Modi’s phrase ‘Ek Hai To Safe Hain’ and Yogi’s remark ‘Ek Hai To Nek Hain’ have been mentioned.
In addition to these slogans, the leaders and members of RSS, BJP, and Mahayuti are actively engaging on the ground to clarify the election outcomes in the Lok Sabha elections, where BJP lost 6 seats by a narrow vote margin, attributable to the polarization of Muslim votes and the splitting of Hindu votes.
The campaign also highlights that the BJP, after securing 30 out of 36 assembly seats in the 6 Lok Sabha constituencies, lost all 6 Lok Sabha seats because of significant polarization of Muslim votes in merely 6 assembly seats. In other words, the BJP gained a small advantage in 30 assembly seats; however, in a predominantly Muslim assembly, the opposition party secured such a significant number of votes that the BJP’s lead in the other 5 assembly seats became minimal, resulting in their electoral loss.
The ‘Sajg Raho’ campaign is also alerting individuals about Bangladeshi infiltration and the impact of Rohingya Muslims. In addition to this, RSS organizations such as VHP and Bajrang Dal are distributing pamphlets door to door in all 288 assembly constituencies across Maharashtra. They are likewise encouraging participation in voting as Hindus by setting aside caste distinctions.
As per the received information, in contrast to the Lok Sabha elections, this assembly election has seen RSS and its various branches conduct over 30 thousand meetings thus far, aiming to connect with all segments of society while ensuring improved coordination between local Sangh and BJP leaders. RSS national co-general secretary Atul Limaye is in regular contact with the local senior BJP leaders during this election in Maharashtra.