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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 000665 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL PINR KDEM KIRF IN
SUBJECT: BHARAT BALLOT 09: MOHAN BHAGWAT NEW RSS CHIEF 
 
REF: NEW DELHI 298 
 
¶1. (SBU)  SUMMARY:  The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) 
selected 59-year old Mohan Bhagwat as its new leader, 
replacing the 78-year old K.S. Sudarshan who stepped down 
citing health problems.  Bhagwat is the youngest chief in RSS 
history and represents a "generational change" in the 
organization.  He is viewed as a Hinduva ideologue who, at 
the same time, welcomes change as the RSS seeks to broaden 
its membership.  Many expect Bhagwat to redefine the RSS 
relationship with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by putting 
added pressure on political leaders to advance a Hindutva 
agenda.  Bhagwat is a supporter of the BJP prime ministerial 
candidate L.K. Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra 
Modi.  End Summary. 
 
RSS gets its youngest chief 
--- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  The RSS -- the ideological core of Hindutva 
organizations including the BJP -- went through a 
generational change on March 21 with the appointment of Mohan 
Rao Bhagwat, 59, as the youngest leader in the 84-year 
history of the organization.  Bhagwat replaced 78-year old 
K.S. Sudarshan, who retired from the post amid health 
concerns.  Bhagwat joined the RSS as a volunteer in Akola, 
Maharashtra, during Indira Gandhi's emergency rule in the 
mid-1970s.  He quickly rose through the ranks as the district 
and regional head of several RSS branches.  In 2000, Bhagwat 
was elected the RSS General Secretary, the second highest 
office in the organization.  He is highly regarded by the RSS 
rank and file as an "energetic" leader, who will strengthen 
the recruitment of young people into the organization.  His 
appointment also comes as the BJP is trying to woo the 
youthful Indian electorate -- people under the age of 35 
account for 70 percent of India's population -- but has an 
aging prime ministerial candidate in 81-year old L.K. Advani. 
 Bhagwat's good rapport with BJP leaders is expected to help 
in "bridging the gap" that had existed between the Sangh and 
the BJP under his predecessor's watch. 
 
"A stickler for ideology," yet willing to change with the 
times 
--- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The new chief will likely enforce discipline 
within the RSS ranks.  He is seen as a committed ideologue on 
the basic tenets of Hindutva.  Addressing a group of young 
RSS volunteers the day of his selection, Bhagwat sent a clear 
message to cadres that the Sangh should change with the times 
while staying committed to core ideological principles.  "It 
(Hindutva) is a formula that has kept our country and society 
together...We are like a tree that bends in the storm but 
doesn't leave its roots," he declared. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Many believe that his appointment represents a 
change in organizational focus as the RSS seeks to broaden 
its youth base, particularly within cities where recruitment 
of youth in the 18-35 age group has lagged.  RSS insiders 
have told us that it has been difficult to convince the 
younger generation to subscribe to the austere RSS volunteer 
lifestyle.  (Note:  RSS volunteers are expected to dedicate 
their lives to the Sangh Parivar and are discouraged from 
other full-time employment or marriage.  End Note.)  Bhagwat 
is seen as the "great hope" for recruiting and retaining the 
future generation of RSS members.  Contacts noted that under 
his watch as RSS General Secretary, enrollments increased 
significantly. 
 
Putting the house back in order... 
--- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  With Bhagwat's appointment, the RSS is also 
expected to regain clout among its affiliates, particularly 
the BJP.  The RSS had lost its organizational supremacy with 
the rise of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister.  Some 
 
NEW DELHI 00000665  002 OF 003 
 
 
analysts pointed out that the 1999-2004 Vajpayee government 
did little to advance a Hindutva agenda so as not to 
antagonize its not-so-Hindutva-minded allies.  (Note: 
Current Hindutva political demands include:  the construction 
of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh; the repeal of 
Article 370 of the Indian Constitution granting spcial 
status to Jammu and Kashmir; and the implementation of a 
uniform civil code for all Indians instead of separate family 
laws for Muslims.  End Note.)  But, now there are signs of 
factionalism and petty infighting within the BJP (Ref. A), 
which has left an opening for the Bhagwat-led RSS to 
reinstate its authority.  For all his cross RSS-BJP appeal 
and years of political service, many expect Bhagwat to 
energize the RSS base and to inject more Hindutva ideology 
into BJP political campaigns and governing policies. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Bhagwat is often compared to M.S. Golwalkar, the 
second RSS chief, who believed that Hindutva ideological 
principles trump electoral politics.  Like Golwalkar, Bhagwat 
has focused on strengthening the RSS organizational structure 
by increasing the recruitment and retention rate of members. 
Sudarshan and past RSS leaders, in contrast, have focused 
less on achieving a Hindutva agenda and more emphasis on 
winning elections. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  There have been some signs of change in the BJP 
campaign message since Bhagwat's selection two weeks ago.  In 
his first broadcast TV interview since elections campaigning 
commenced, L.K. Advani pledged to concentrate more on the 
development of "Bharat" rather than "India."  Advani for the 
first time admitted that the Vajpayee-led government was 
overly concerned about its secular allies rather than 
advancing a Hindutva agenda. 
 
Friend of Advani and Modi 
--- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  On the eve of parliamentary elections, Bhagwat's 
appointment is seen as a boost for the BJP's prime 
ministerial candidate L.K. Advani.  Bhagwat helped Advani 
secure the prime ministerial candidacy last year when some 
Sangh members raised concerns about Advani's ability to mount 
sustained, ideologically-driven attacks against the United 
Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.  It was at Bhagwat's 
insistence, observers noted, that a three-member RSS 
delegation visited L.K. Advani's residence in early January 
to resolve internal RSS-BJP disputes ahead of April-May polls. 
 
¶9.  (U)  Bhagwat is also closely associated with Gujarat 
Chief Minister Narendra Modi.  He stood solidly behind Modi 
when many RSS leaders had shunned him for his perceived 
"arrogance" during the 2007 state assembly elections. 
Bhagwat was one of the few RSS members present at the April 
2008 launch for Modi's book profiling the sixteen "most 
influential" RSS leaders.  Bhagwat also attended Advani's 
book release in March 2008. 
 
Comment:  Striking a balance 
--- 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Besides representing a generational change, the 
Bhagwat appointment is significant in that it may represent 
an opportunity for this increasing anachronistic organization 
to reshape itself into a viable 21st century institution. 
Although his appointment was not unexpected, it sent a ripple 
through the right-of-center political establishment.  Bhagwat 
will be watched closely to see if he can strike the optimum 
balance between advancing Hindutva ideology and adjusting to 
modern political realities.  Ahead of April-May parliamentary 
elections, the BJP needs the RSS -- it provides the most 
dedicated cadre for the campaign -- but does not need a RSS 
overload.  Beyond a certain point, heated RSS Hindutva 
rhetoric can have an electoral backlash.  End Comment. 
 
Biographical Notes 
--- 
 
NEW DELHI 00000665  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶11.  (SBU)   Mohan Bhagwat was born in Maharashtra in 1950. 
He joined the RSS as a volunteer in Akola, Maharashtra, in 
the mid-1970s.  Bhagwat rose through the ranks as the 
district and regional head of several RSS branches, 
including: the district leader of Akola, provincial leader of 
Nagpur and the state leader of Bihar.  In 2000, Bhagwat was 
elected the RSS General Secretary.  His father, Madhukarrao 
Bhagwat, was a RSS leader in Gujarat and is known to have 
initiated L.K. Advani into the organization.  Like many RSS 
activists, he is unmarried. 
WHITE