The Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi assembly elections had one factor in common - the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's low-key campaign amid the high-decibel ones by all major political parties. It went all out to persuade voters to elect a government which is pro-development and takes accountability for its actions. The result was not surprising - the Bharatiya Janata Party's historic victories!
The RSS put together grassroots campaign, held thousands of drawing-room meetings to discuss 'pressing public issues' and most importantly focused on the Hindutva narrative. The organisation, that generally maintains distance from active politics, successfully campaigned for BJP taking its core message of nationalism to the masses.
The RSS maintains that lasting change comes from quiet, sustained groundwork. Its approach is simple - by election time, the BJP shouldn't have to convince voters ... instead just bring its supporters to the booths.
Big Bihar playbook
The Sangh's role became even more crucial ahead of the Bihar elections after the entry of political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party. Swayamsevaks continued to actively promote the nationalist and Hindutva ideologies to help create a favourable ground for the saffron party in Bihar.
According to reports, at least 20,000 RSS volunteers discreetly advanced the organisation's mission at the grassroots level by promoting the Sangh's nationalist ideology. It highlighted how the government's actions are aligned with the Sangh's vision of the national interest.
The BJP-led NDA retained power in Bihar dealing a huge blow to the Mahagathbandhan. The alliance secured a '200 paar' win for a three-fourths majority with the BJP emerging as the single largest party. The NDA's performance shows people have once again bestowed their trust on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Bihar, which voted in two phases November 6 and 11, recorded one of its highest turnouts in the state's history. The first phase witnessed a record 65.08% voter turnout. In the second phase, over 66% voter turnout was recorded. The BJP said the high turnout of women voters in the Bihar Assembly election was a 'historic transformation'. It claimed that women voted 'decisively' in favour of the NDA for development and good governance.
BJP's Delhi comeback
The BJP struggled to break Aam Aadmi Party's electoral hold in Delhi for long. It remained out of power for almost three decades in the capital. The 2025 victory finally marked the saffron party's historic return to power in Delhi after 27 years, ending AAP's dominance.
The RSS organised roughly 50,000 drawing room meetings ahead of the polls which primarily focussed on pressing issues affecting the public. It encouraged voter participation by launching indirect attacks on AAP through discussions on anti-CAA protests, Delhi riots, air pollution and Yamuna clean-up among others.
Its approach of targeting people who were trusted within their communities paid off. Instead of going for high-profile endorsements, RSS chose individuals who could shaped opinions through casual conversations.
NDA's resurgence in Maharashtra
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for unity, then CM Eknath Shinde's Ladki Bahin Yojana, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath's 'batenge to katenge' slogan aimed at unifying Hindu voters - all collectively worked in NDA's favour.
The RSS planned nearly 60,000 small-scale meetings to counter opposition narratives and consolidate support under its 'Sajah Raho' (Remain Vigilant) campaign. Through the specially-curated campaign, volunteers addressed sensitive issues such as love jihad. Across the state's hinterland, swayamsevaks conducted thousands of meetings going door-to-door, conveying the concerns that some political moves had allegedly weakened Hindutva.
Community card in Haryana
Haryana's political landscape has long been shaped by Jat dominance, with a handful of powerful families holding sway. The RSS recognised that challenging this grip demanded more than routine political tactics - recasting the very idea of identity.
The organisation planned about 20,000 gatherings focusing on grassroots outreach and community engagement. The RSS tapped into non-Jat communities — Punjabis, Banias, Brahmins, and OBCs — who were slowly brought into the fold through religious networks and cultural discussions. The BJP pulled off massive victory by managing to make significant inroads into the Dalit seats and Jat strongholds.
Eye on UP
The RSS, with an aim of spreading the message of Hindutva to a wider audience, is gearing up for a large-scale nationwide outreach drive. According to reports quoting RSS, the campaign will have a particularly extensive focus on Uttar Pradesh which goes to polls in 2027.
RSS cadres aim to reach over 1 crore households across UP's six organisational regions. The month-long initiative 'Griha Sampark Abhiyan' is set to run from November 20, during which more than 25 lakh volunteers across India will visit people to distribute literature related to the RSS ideology.
The campaign, insiders believe, is likely to have broader social and political implications particularly because it is planned ahead of the UP assembly elections.
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