Sharad Pawar credits RSS for BJP sweep in Maharashtra polls in surprise turn

The veteran politician said that the RSS's working methodology and its aggressive Hindutva campaigning were key pillars behind BJP's success in Maharashtra.

In Short

• RSS's methodology and Hindutva campaign aided BJP's success, said Pawar
• To boost party workers, Pawar recalled Congress's past revivals in Maharashtra
• Pawar criticised NCP (SP) for becoming complacent after Lok Sabha

Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar, in a surprise move, credited the meticulous work of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) behind the BJP's landslide victory in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls.

According to sources, while addressing party workers in Mumbai, the veteran politician said that the RSS's working methodology and its aggressive Hindutva campaigning were the key pillars behind BJP's success in the November elections last year, where the party won 132 out of the 149 seats it contested.

Pawar, whose party is a part of the INDIA bloc, recalled the Congress's revival in Maharashtra after being wiped out in 1957. He highlighted the party's victories in 1962 and 1977, despite facing setbacks.

The Assembly election results came as a surprise to many as the BJP turned out to be the single-largest party, defying opinion polls as the INDIA bloc's loss in Maharashtra wiped out its Lok Sabha gains from a few months back.

Dissecting the Assembly poll results, Pawar pointed out that the NCP (SP) became complacent after winning the Lok Sabha polls, while their opponents worked tirelessly to announce popular schemes and take key decisions.

Citing examples of dedicated RSS workers, Pawar also acknowledged the organisation's meticulous work down to the grassroots level.

Winning back the trust of BJP's core Other Backward Classes (OBCs) vote bank by establishing 17 new state-run corporations was also viewed as one of the major reasons for NDA's sweep by Pawar.

Taking a leaf out of RSS's book, Pawar outlined the NCP (SP)'s future strategy in the upcoming elections to be held in the state. He said that the party was aiming to give 50 per cent of seats to women from humble backgrounds in the upcoming local body elections.

To provide more incentives to party workers, Pawar said that NCP (SP) planned on promoting ground-level party workers to the top, giving them responsibilities at the local, state, and national levels.

Pawar's praise for the RSS has sparked interest as it marks a significant shift in his stance. The NCP (SP)'s future strategy will be closely watched, as the party seeks to regain momentum in the face of the BJP's dominance.