Will campaign for BJP where party has weak base: RSS

Bengaluru: Although the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its frontal organisations don’t usually get directly involved  in elections, the  BJP has reportedly sought its help for the 2018 polls in the state, especially in areas where it has a very weak organisational base. 

“We have a Laxmanrekha where direct participation in  elections is concerned. But now that the BJP has sought our assistance, our cadre will do door-to-door campaign and distribute election related literature. The parivar will also carry out campaigns to create more awareness about national issues among the people,” said a senior functionary of the RSS.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, he said that unlike previous elections, the Sangh would  not do booth level campaigning for the party as the BJP had strengthened its base in the state and constituted almost all booth committees.  “Our participation will be restricted to taking BJP policies and programmes to the voters and convincing them to come out and  vote,” he said.

The RSS currently has 40 frontal organisations actively working in the state. The  BJP reportedly sought their assistance to work for the 2018 elections at the co-ordination committee meeting held at  Keshava Krupa, the RSS headquarters in Bengaluru recently. 

The frontal organisations will begin work for the elections six months before they are held and will wait for the BJP to draw up a plan of action for their workers’ involvement, according to the RSS functionary. 

 “The RSS and its frontal organisations will begin working for the polls only after the BJP provides us a time table  specifying the kind of assistance it needs and its workers will  accompany  RSS workers during the door-to-door campaigning,” he added.