Sharad Pawar Credits RSS for BJP’s Landslide Victory in Maharashtra Assembly Polls

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar attributed the BJP’s resounding victory in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections to the meticulous groundwork of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Speaking to party workers in Mumbai, Pawar highlighted the RSS’s disciplined approach and its aggressive Hindutva campaign as the key factors behind the BJP's success. The BJP secured 132 of the 149 seats it contested in the November elections, cementing its position as the single-largest party in the state.

Pawar, whose party is part of the opposition INDIA bloc, reflected on the Congress’s resurgence in Maharashtra after setbacks in the 1957 elections, noting its victories in 1962 and 1977 as examples of resilience. However, he admitted that the INDIA bloc’s loss in the state Assembly elections—coming on the heels of its success in the Lok Sabha polls—was a significant blow.

Analyzing the results, Pawar observed that complacency within the NCP (SP) following its Lok Sabha gains allowed the BJP to capitalize on the momentum. He praised the BJP’s strategy, which included announcing popular schemes, making key decisions, and leveraging the grassroots efforts of RSS workers. He also noted the BJP's success in reclaiming the trust of its core OBC vote bank by establishing 17 new state-run corporations.

Looking ahead, Pawar emphasized the need for a strategic shift within the NCP (SP). Inspired by the RSS’s methods, he proposed giving 50% of seats to women from humble backgrounds in the upcoming local body elections, aiming to strengthen the party’s grassroots connection and regain lost ground.

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