The coming electoral battle in the Hindi heartland will be fought between the Congress and the RSS as the latter is expanding its role given the BJP’s failure to resolve its internal problems. Congress minority leaders, in fact, predict a decisive role for the RSS in the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi Assembly polls due in the next two months, which will set the tone for next year’s Lok Sabha elections. A senior Muslim leader of the Congress said the RSS was now openly playing a political role. Its leaders are addressing BJP election meetings. Earlier, the RSS used to keep some distance from the Jan Sangh and the BJP as it claimed it was a “cultural organisation”. But after the passing of Balasaheb Deoras and Rajju Bhaiya, RSS chiefs have openly started resolving the BJP’s internal problems, including who should be its president, PM candidates and who should retire from active politics. The AICC leader said: “The RSS is no longer simply playing an advisory role or lending a helping hand.” It would be interesting to see who influences the list of BJP candidates in these four states — the sitting CMs or state party chiefs, or the RSS headquarters in Nagpur.
