Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the BJP, is preparing a document which will form the base of the party’s campaign for Assembly elections in Bengal next year.

“We have received instructions from Nagpur to prepare a vision document. Some of our members in Bengal have been assigned the task,” said a source in the RSS which is headquartered at Nagpur in Maharashtra.

Sources said illegal immigration, controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, industrialisation and job creation would get thrust in the document.

Conventionally, it is the responsibility of the RSS to prepare a similar document for the BJP before polls. The formula has been practised during general election and Assembly polls. “Such a document is being worked upon. Once we receive it, we will decide how to act on it,” said state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh.

The RSS has prepared similar documents for earlier polls in Bengal as well. However, what is different now is that the RSS sees an opportunity for the BJP to wrest power in the state. Ironically, it also believes the state BJP leadership lacks a proper vision for governance.

In such a situation, the vision document will play a crucial role in how things pan out for the saffron party in next year’s elections, according to the RSS source.

The RSS top brass has repeatedly stressed that it is not enough to criticise the Mamata Banerjee government if the BJP wishes to come to power. It is equally important to inform the electorate about what positive changes it would gain out of a BJP government.

According to the source, at an earlier meeting, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had asked state BJP leaders about their plans for next year’s Assembly polls. However, none of the answers from the two leaders present at the meeting could satisfy Bhagwat.

In the vision document for Assam, illegal immigration was a top priority. “Equal importance will be attached to the document for Bengal, along with the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act,” said the source.

However, multiple sources in the RSS confirmed that employment generation would be recognised as an ‘immediate priority’ in the post Covid-19 world.

“We don’t want the BJP to make false promises like other parties which have ruled the state. Hence, a proper blueprint of the steps that would be taken to ensure job creation is important,” another RSS member privy to the development said.

With a similar intent, there will be focus on industrialisation as well. The Trinamul Congress had come to power in Bengal in 2011 riding on anti-land acquisition movements in Singur and Nandigram and its government doesn’t facilitate acquisition of plots for industries.

The RSS believes there has to be a change in this stance. The document will guide how the new government must work to assist investor while ensuring the rights of land-losers.

“Once we have finalised this document, we will hand it over to BJP leaders. They may make some changes to the document but the broad ideas will remain the same,” the RSS source said.

In the past few years, various RSS-affiliated organisations have penetrated deep into the Bengal heartlands. Free schools and non-government organisations with direct or indirect links to the RSS have garnered support among tribal and backward sections.

The RSS conducts daily, weekly and monthly assemblies of its members. These assemblies are called shakhas, milans and mandalis, respectively. Till 2011, there were around 1,300 of such assemblies across Bengal. However, the number has gone up to around 2,900.

In the general election last year, the BJP won 18 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal and tribal electorate played an important role in the victories. BJP leaders have always maintained that they owe the success to the efforts of the RSS.

“The RSS has carried out massive relief work during the coronavirus and Amphan crises. Our volunteers have reached out to the needy across Bengal,” said RSS spokesperson Biplab Roy.

According to a BJP leader who doesn’t wish to be named, the works undertaken by the RSS during the past three months will also help the BJP in the Assembly polls.