BJP to appoint RSS workers as Personal Assistants to its ministers

They will be drawn from the RSS and its affiliate organisations. They will be tasked with ensuring “better coordination between the party and the government”

MUMBAI: The BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have taken a definitive step towards making sure that government policies and decisions reflect the party’s ideology in Maharashtra. It has decided to appoint Personal Assistants (PAs) across government departments led by BJP ministers, to tighten its grip on policy and decision-making.

Mumbai: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat with Maharashtra Dy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during the release of the book 'Udaan', in Mumbai, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI06_29_2024_000359B) (PTI)

These PAs will be drawn from the RSS and its affiliate organisations. They will be tasked with ensuring “better coordination between the party and the government”, a step that underscores the BJP’s intent to align governance with its ideological vision.

The decision to appoint PAs was taken during a brainstorming session between the RSS and BJP ministers in Maharashtra at the weekend. State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said in a statement that the party has appointed Sudhir Deulgaonkar as chief coordinator between the government and the party. Deulgaonkar is officer on special duty in Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari’s ministry, and was the BJP’s election coordinator during the Lok Sabha and assembly elections last year.

The BJP leadership has had a tradition of appointing RSS workers in governments ruled by the party but this is the first time a BJP-led state government has institutionalised the system. The state government last week, in fact, amended its rules relating to the appointment of non-government employees in the office of ministers, increasing the number of such appointments from two to four.

This was followed by a list of PAs and Officers on Special Duty being assigned to ministers and approved by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis last week. The list included a handful of RSS workers in various government departments.

Deulgaonkar said, “The idea is to ensure better coordination between party and government, to build confidence among party workers and the people that it is our government. BJP ministers will hold a Janata Darbar once a week or fortnight at the party office, to meet workers who do not have easy access to Mantralaya.”

Although the BJP has restricted the appointment of PAs to departments headed by its own ministers, the chief minister has the final say in appointments to all departments, including those headed by its allies, the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a senior BJP leader pointed out.

“The chief minister has a say in major appointments in their offices. It helps the party in coordination when it comes to approval of proposals with the party’s interest,” said another BJP leader.

Meanwhile, Bawankule has appealed to party workers to get in touch with the newly appointed PAs. According to a BJP leader, “This would help the party project its performance at the local level through our party workers. It also assumes importance ahead of the upcoming local body elections.”