Political parties are actively engaged in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections. In a surprising development, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwarananda has announced his decision to field candidates across all 243 seats in Bihar. This move has caught all political parties off guard, with the BJP potentially facing the most significant challenges. Shankaracharya, currently on a tour of Bihar, stated that his organization will put up ‘Gau Bhakt’ candidates in all 243 constituencies for the 2025 elections. He mentioned that he has engaged with various national parties and has advocated for the declaration of ‘Gau Mata’ as ‘Rashtra Mata’ in Parliament but has not received clear support. As a result, his organization is entering the electoral fray to promote religion and cow protection.
Shankaracharya plans to campaign for the candidates and will also meet with local saints to garner their support. He will urge Sanatani voters to vote for the ‘Gau Bhakt’ candidates.
This announcement has elicited varied responses from political parties. RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad believes that religion should be kept separate from politics and that people in high religious positions should avoid entering politics, with a side note on the BJP’s alleged use of religion in politics. BJP spokesperson Prabhakar Mishra shares a similar viewpoint, arguing that religious figures should refrain from politics. The BJP plans to organize a ‘Sanatan Samagam’ under the name ‘Bande Sanatan’ to reach out to people.
The announcement by Jyotish Peethadheeshwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati has brought Sanatan Dharma and cow protection back into the spotlight amid the political activity surrounding the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Sources indicate that several BJP leaders are in contact with the Shankaracharya to convince him to reconsider. If the Shankaracharya sticks to his plan, the BJP could suffer losses in Bihar.