Delivering the UP miracle worked for Amit Shah when BJP won the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The stellar performance of win in 71 seats out of 80 in India's largest state and two more for its alliance partner Apna Dal made it easy for him to succeed Rajnath Singh as the party's national president.
Five years later, J P Nadda succeeded him. The BJP's tally had come down to 63 in 2019 but it was still considered very good strike rate. In 2024 - the party got a shock treatment despite Ayodhya's Ram temple and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's towering claim of 400 plus.
In between BJP won UP twice - 2017 and 2022. The election of BJP national president now comes amid party's tally going down to 240 in 2024 but also after the party has able to win polls in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi.
True these states were tough but the credit for party's victory went to Amit Shah for presiding the election strategies as a modern day Chanakya.
The Sanghparivar fountainhead RSS was certainly unhappy at the developments. The miraculous escape from losing power in 2024 has rightly made the RSS leadership take the 2024 mandate as wake up call. The Sangh fountainhead simply does not approve of that essentially BJP's incumbent president J P Nadda is left with only two qualities - Confidence of Modi-Shah and a low-profile leader.
Nadda-model could suit PM Modi and Amit Shah but not to the RSS. The refrain from Nagpur camp is -- it's not about individuals. It is also not simply about alliance management or winning polls. What happens to the RSS-BJP ideologies.
"Of course we need power.... being in power since 2014 with a decisive mandate helped materialise massive expansion of BJP and the RSS/ This made Ram Temple a reality and Article 3670 has been abrogated," says a former BJP MP -- who had come from RSS background.
He mentions that the leadership in Nagpur is also concerned about ideological moorings of the new president.
"An independent man.... who has gone through RSS training and beyond. Those who made lateral entry are hence misfit to be BJP's national president. The RSS is looking for someone who understands Hindutva ideology and the business of man-making...He should be first among the equals when it comes to party's core decision making process. Playing second fiddle to incumbent Prime Minister may be toleraable but not beyond that".
The message seems to be clear the new party president should focus on cadre-building with commitment. The mass expansion and the manner RSS pracharaks are hardly given ear (forget respect) in various states tell the story that the Sangh is not pleased with a centralised style of giving so much importance to so-called high command.
Some of these complaints do not come just for the sake of it. Since 2014, the RSS shakhas have been growing. BJP members have also grown including in Christian-stronghold states. But generally what is believed is that most of them are cosmetic. The ideological education has weakened and in multiple states the BJP is now losing character.
The Sangh wants - therefore - the new BJP president to also adequately focus on 'civilisational aspect of Hindutva' -- that is lay importance to Yoga, Ayurveda, Education and other key aspects linked to the overall cultural nationalism.
Another source said no one in the RSS is against Modi or even prefer his untimely exit in September 2025 ( as is being made out in the media). In fact, as a former Pracharak, Modi is the "best nominee", the Sagh could have had for Prime Ministership.
"Modi does not need to be told .... what's the BJP and RSS ideologies. We need the same quality in the BJP president who should respect the Prime Minister, have good coordination with the Ministers and Chief Ministers, but who will have his independent say at the end of the day," is a refrain among a section of leaders.
After Lok Sabha polls in 2024, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was vocal about arrogance.
This essentially meant mishandling Uttar Pradesh because there was an apparent decline in dialogue between Nadd and Amit Shah along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Candid critique was understood well and subsequently the RSS was given due importance in Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra.
The refrain from the RSS is 'heroes' are to be hailed. but no good organisation forgets that even heroes have darker sides. Some of these weaknesses - history will show - have sometimes hit hard the destinies of nations. The larger-than-life icon is good. But it should be pushed to the level it has the utility level.
Thus the RSS knows it should not be accpected to run BJP. In fact, all Sanghparivar affiliates work with absolute frredom. But Nagpur has the obligation to "caution" colleagues working in various affiliates including the BJP.
On the other hand, the argument from the BJP camp is the RSS and 'original BJP leaders' are respected by the party and the PM-Amit Shah duo or even PM-Shah-Nada troika. Most BJP state unit presidents are with RSS background. West Bengal is an example.
The party is giving importance to former state unit chief Dilip Ghosh yet again. Several Governors and Rajya Sabha members are from RSS background including the likes of La Ganesan in Nagaland and Ramen Deka in Chhattisgarh. The Sangh priority is never individual nor simply winning of elections. If a feeling goes down the line that the BJP and the Congress are interchangeable... that will be the worst thing to happen despite being in power.
The larger framework of nationalism and Hindutva as a way of life must not be forgotten.
For Nagpur, the BJP president therefore must be someone who can engage with ministers, Chief Ministers and state presidents but also command respect from them. At the same time, he should be able to connect immediately with booth workers, Shakha pramukhs and pracharaks.
In other words, a mere electoral strategist or someone who takes orders from any minister or anther electoral strategist will not be acceptable. Tough tasking .... no doubt.
ends
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