Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is set to play an important role in the general elections in Rajasthan. RSS, mobilizing its huge membership base, has been running various campaigns to improve the voter turnout in Rajasthan. The state has already undergone polling in 13 out of the 25 seats in the 4th phase on 29th of May and the remaining 12 parliamentary constituencies will be going to the polls in the 5th phase on 6thof May.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat talking to reporters after casting his vote in Maharashtra’s Nagpur constituency, where union minister Nitin Gadkari is the BJP’s candidate. “Voting is our duty. Everyone should vote,” the RSS chief said. Opposing NOTA, Bhagwat appealed to the people to vote. “Being quiet does not work. You have to say yes or no,” he added.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi also appealed people to support voting. “People should express their choice,” he said and asked them to vote for the candidate whom they think is suitable.
RSS through its Swayamsewaks has been pushing to increase awareness among the voters to go out and exercise their franchise. Rajasthan, which saw Congress winning marginally in the 2018 assembly elections just saw a voting percentage of less than 75% in the 2018 assembly elections.
RSS campaign to increase voting percentage focuses on the recent political developments in the nation. The issue of robust national security has been one of the agendas in the RSS campaign.
“The RSS is mainly focusing on the urban areas of the constituency. We are asking people to not let heat or laziness stop them from voting,” an RSS volunteer said, However RSS being a social organization has also been focusing on social issues and creating awareness relating to those.
PM Narendra Modi has also been quite vocal by his appeals to the voters to go out and vote. He had tweeted, “Another phase of the General Elections begins today. I hope those voting today do so in large numbers and break the voting records of the previous three phases. A special appeal to young voters to head to the polling booth and exercise their franchise.”
Another phase of the General Elections begins today. I hope those voting today do so in large numbers and break the voting records of the previous three phases.
A special appeal to young voters to head to the polling booth and exercise their franchise.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 29, 2019
The issue of low voter turnout has been plaguing the Indian elections; however, efforts of different organizations like RSS have been successful in mobilizing the voters to the polling booths. This general elections has been seeing appeals from across the political spectrum to go out and exercise their right to vote, And RSS’s efforts with its strong membership base are sure to help India improve on its past polling performances. Rajasthan, where the BJP had marginally lost the Congress, is also sure to benefit from increased polling percentages.