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For the Delhi elections, the RSS intensified its groundwork, deploying an extensive network of grassroots cadre across the capital
The RSS’s primary focus has been to disseminate nationalistic ideas and foster a sense of cultural pride. (PTI File)
How did the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) teams , or ‘tolis’, boost Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) door-to-door campaign for the Delhi elections? Through voter awareness campaigns by RSS-affiliated ‘Lokmat Parishkar’, discussions over the adverse effects of illegal immigration by Bangladeshis, schemes by the central government and what the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government “stole” from the voters. Delhi will vote on Wednesday and the results will be out on Saturday.
For the elections, the RSS intensified its groundwork, deploying an extensive network of grassroots cadre across the capital. Apart from holding small group meetings, the Sangh strategically divided Delhi into 30 organisational districts, setting up a robust presence in 1,123 locations that they call ‘seva bastis’.
These ‘bastis’ or sectors are meant for the Sangh’s social work, where its several affiliate organisations, primarily Seva Bharti and others, work among the underprivileged and economically weaker sections. These are also the areas where the Sangh has been able to make strong inroads and is actively engaging with residents. In a bid to shape voter awareness, the RSS has mobilised tolis consisting of three to four members.
Their primary focus has been to disseminate nationalistic ideas and foster a sense of cultural pride while highlighting concerns such as the impact of illegal Bangladeshi immigration on the city’s socio-economic fabric. Similar small meetings, discussions among the urban, semi-urban slum areas, settlements and across the rural areas, and over relevant ground-level issues were a significant factor that brought the BJP back into power in Haryana last year.
SEVA BASTIS AS RSS NERVE CENTRES
The Sangh’s strategy in Delhi follows its traditional model of micro-level engagement with voters, strengthening the booth committees while ensuring ideological penetration at the grassroots. By dividing the capital into 30 Sangh zillas (districts), it has established an organised framework for fool-proof outreach, said a senior RSS functionary.
These districts function as command and mobilisation centres, overseeing activities in their respective areas, ensuring seamless coordination among swayamsevaks, and responding dynamically to local socio-political concerns, he added.
A key component of this strategy is the extensive work in seva bastis, jhuggis of Delhi. With 1,123 such settlements identified, the RSS volunteers have been working on multiple social welfare initiatives, educational efforts, and community-building exercises, gradually cultivating an ideological connect with the locals.
EXPANDING FOOTPRINT THROUGH ‘TOLIS’
The backbone of the RSS’ election-related activities is the network of tolis. These teams operate at the neighbourhood level, engaging directly with voters, conducting door-to-door campaigns, and organising informal discussions on issues the RSS deems critical.
The messaging is tailored and aligned with RSS ideology, which is meant to resonate with different sections of society, from middle-class concerns about law and order to working-class anxieties over economic stability and resource distribution.
The swayamsevaks emphasise the need for a government that upholds national interests, promotes cultural heritage, and ensures the safety of its citizens. With a structured and targeted approach, the RSS groundwork before the Delhi elections is a reflection of its long-term strategy of ideological consolidation through grassroots mobilisation.
By using its extensive network of Sangh zillas, seva bastis, and swayamsevak tolis, the organisation aims to shape voter sentiment, ensuring that its narratives find strong resonance among the Delhi electorate.
