Fresh after the BJP’s sweeping victory in West Bengal, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale publicly praised Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, calling him “our son” and declaring that the Sangh is proud of his rise. The remarks, made during an interview discussing the BJP’s expanding leadership base, are being seen as a strong endorsement of Adhikari’s growing influence within the wider Sangh Parivar after the party’s historic triumph in Bengal politics.
Hosabale’s comments come at a politically significant moment, with Suvendu Adhikari emerging as the face of the BJP’s breakthrough in West Bengal. Adhikari not only retained Nandigram — where he had famously defeated Mamata Banerjee in 2021 — but also secured a major symbolic victory by defeating the Trinamool Congress chief in Bhabanipur during the latest Assembly elections.
Following the BJP’s decisive mandate in the state, Adhikari was widely viewed as the natural choice for the chief minister’s post. Political observers noted that there was little debate within the party over leadership, given his central role in shaping the BJP’s Bengal campaign and organisational expansion.
RSS Calls Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari ‘Our Son’, Says Sangh Is Proud of Him
Speaking to news agency PTI, Hosabale dismissed the notion that leaders must have a long-standing formal association with the RSS to rise within the BJP or the broader nationalist ecosystem. He said many people become associated with the Sangh at different stages of their lives and that there is no rigid entry process.
“There is no rule that someone has to join the RSS during school days,” Hosabale said. “Many people became associated much later.”
He further explained that the RSS functions more like a family than a traditional membership-based organisation. According to him, individuals who align with its ideology naturally become part of that larger family structure without needing any formal enrolment.
Using a metaphor to explain the Sangh’s functioning, Hosabale said that just as a daughter-in-law becomes part of a family without filling out any formal form, people connected with the RSS become part of the organisation organically.
When specifically asked about Suvendu Adhikari, the RSS leader responded warmly: “We are proud of this son.”
Hosabale also welcomed the increasing number of political leaders from other parties joining the BJP, saying it reflected the party’s expanding public acceptance across the country. According to him, new leaders entering the BJP would gradually understand the ideology and culture of the RSS over time.
“We are happy. The BJP is growing, and that means its acceptance is increasing,” he said.
The RSS leader was also asked about the role played by RSS volunteers during the Bengal Assembly elections. In response, Hosabale said the organisation’s workers had participated actively as citizens and had faced political violence in the state for decades.
He alleged that RSS volunteers had long been targeted during both the Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments for promoting nationalism, Hindu cultural identity and running Sangh activities in Bengal.
According to Hosabale, many RSS workers endured attacks and intimidation while carrying out ideological and organisational work in the state. His remarks are likely to further intensify the political debate over the RSS’s influence in Bengal after the BJP’s electoral success.
With the Sangh now openly celebrating Suvendu Adhikari’s leadership, the statement also signals the BJP’s intention to consolidate its ideological and political foothold in West Bengal ahead of future national and state-level battles.
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