RSS tweaks outreach plan to boost polling on May 19

NEW DELHI: On a day when Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati likened the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a “sinking ship” and said even the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was not campaigning for it in Uttar Pradesh, it emerges that the BJP’S ideological parent is actually going all out to ensure a higher turnout for the last phase of polling on Sunday — because it hopes this will help the party’s fortunes.

Voter turnout in each of the six phases concluded thus far has been 1-2% more than in 2014, with a significant increase in some states such as in Kerala and in some seats in Madhya Pradesh (MP).

Now, with just 59 seats left in the final leg of the elections, the Sangh’s focus is primarily on West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, MP and Punjab.

According to two RSS func

I cannot spot them [RSS volunteers] anywhere in the election doing hard work with their ‘jholaas’ [bags], thanks to the non-fulfilment of promises and the intense resentment by the people. Mayawati, BSP chief

tionaries aware of the developments, at a meeting of the Sangh, at the end of the sixth phase, it was decided to boost canvassing by the RSS cadre for the remaining seats.

“There were some changes in the style of canvassing this time. Apart from the traditional doorto-door campaigning that was

buttressed with digital outreach, Sangh cadres reached out through frontal groups of professionals and entrepreneurs, and to influencers in each constituency to convey their message,” said a functionary privy to the meeting. The message is to redouble these efforts, he added.