BHAGALPUR: There is lot of curiosity in political circles ahead of the two-day convention of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at Bhagalpur, commencing here on Wednesday. Mohan Bhagawat, Sarsanghachalak of RSS (head of the RSS), along with his entourage arrived on Tuesday to participate in the convention. RSS activists from Bihar and Jharkhand in a large number will also attend the convention.
After being defeated in the parliamentary election in 2014 and bypoll for Bhagalpur assembly-for BJP, the visit of Bhagwat and holding of two-day convention at Bhagalpur is viewed with extreme interest not only among the BJP circles, but also in other political parties opposed to BJP.It may be worth mentioning that amidst NaMo wave across the nation in 2014 general election, the sitting MP and BJP’s national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain lost to RJD with slender margin in Bhagalpur.
Similarly, BJP lost the assembly by-election at Bhagalpur even after ensconcing of Narendra Modi as PM at the Center. The by-election, held in August 2014, was necessitated due to sitting BJP MLA from Bhagalpur Ashwini Kumar Chowbey resigning the seat after getting elected from Buxar parliamentary constituency.
According to a political analyst adding the BJP’s two consecutive losses was also as a consequence of infighting in the party that could not be contained by the RSS. The BJP, which is commonly presumed as the political front of RSS, and have most of the front leaders at national and state-level from RSS background, is buoyed over the visit of Bhagawat at Bhagalpur. Many party leaders feel that presence of Bhagwat will resurrect the party’s fortune in the region in the forthcoming assembly election.
Local RSS activists, without wanting to be quoted, said the organization’s agenda is national pride, promoting socio-cultural and spiritual unity besides endorsing faith in the oneness of humanity. The fundamental objective is unity of religious traditions and sharing a common cord of ‘Bhartiyata’ (nationality), said another activist.
Member of local unit of RSS, Ashish said it is our in-house convention and the RSS chief will speak on national integrity and unity besides other issues related to uplifting of moral values, nationality, Indian culture etc.