As BJP and RSS make up, Modi to make rare appearance with Bhagwat

The BJP and its ideological parent RSS seem to have repaired their gradually yawning rift that burst open during the Lok Sabha elections last year, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi all set to share the dais with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur a month from now.

In the 11 years of Modi leading the Central government, this is only the second time when he and Bhagwat will share the stage.

Learning lesson

In a statement — and its timing — that took many by surprise, the BJP declared in the middle of its 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign that it was capable of managing its own affairs and was no longer dependent on its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

However, the poll results acted as the best learning lesson as the saffron arty ate humble pie and formed a coalition government at the Centre for the first time in a decade, failing to get majority on its own. Bhagwat minced no words in slamming the “ideological child” but it seems the two have now decided to bury the hatchet.

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In a month from now, as Maharashtra celebrates its new year, Gudi Padwa, on March 30, Bhagwat and Modi will share the dais at an event in Nagpur.

Joint meeting

The two leaders will lay the foundation of a hospital being built on 6.5 acres of land. It will be in the name of Madhav Sadashivrao Galwalkar, the second chief of RSS, a Nagpur-based RSS leader told The Federal.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha battle, Modi led the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Bhagwat was present at the event to mark the presence of the RSS, whose campaign for a grand Ram temple at the site of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya immensely helped the BJP to grow and grow.

Ayodhya and Nagpur

“When the consecration of the Ram temple happened, Bhagwat was present but he did not give any speech. It was only the prime minister who spoke at the event,” Dilip Deodhar, a Nagpur-based author and observer on RSS, told The Federal.

Also read: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat highlights Hindu unity, calls it a responsible force

“This time, both Modi and Bhagwat are expected to speak. The decision to come together sends a message of unity. After failing to get a majority in the Lok Sabha by itself, the BJP leadership has realised that it needs the support of RSS,” Deodhar pointed out.

Winds of change

Even as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections remain a defining moment when the BJP tried to assert its autonomy from the larger Sangh Parivar, the recent electoral wins in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi have made the BJP brass realize the importance of the RSS.

The change in the relationship between the BJP and RSS was visible at the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan when Modi publicly acknowledged the RSS’s role in shaping his life. Speaking on February 22, the prime minister said he was privileged that his life was inspired by the RSS.

“The success in the recent elections has made Modi and the BJP leadership more flexible towards the RSS. The BJP has to elect its new president. A decision on a new BJP chief won’t happen without knowing the views of the RSS. Both the BJP and RSS will have an equal share in electing the new party president,” Deodhar said.

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Need for each other

Political analysts believe there is a feeling in both the BJP and RSS that they need to work together for mutual benefit. While the BJP being in power helps the RSS to expand its presence nationally, the BJP also gets the support of RSS cadres at the time of elections.

“It is a symbiotic relationship. The BJP and Modi realise that personal charisma and work done by the government may not be enough to get a majority in the Lok Sabha,” Amit Dholakia, a professor at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, told The Federal.

“The BJP relies heavily on the RSS for its electoral success. The victories in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi are examples of what the two organizations can achieve together,” Dholakia added.