With all political parties gearing up for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwarananda has made a bold announcement: his organization will contest all 243 seats. This move has taken the political arena by surprise, particularly impacting the BJP. During his visit to Bihar, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwarananda declared that ‘Gau Bhakt’ candidates would be fielded across all 243 seats in the 2025 elections. He stated that despite engaging with various national parties and advocating for the recognition of the cow as ‘Rashtra Mata’ in Parliament, he has not received any concrete support. Therefore, his organization has decided to enter the electoral field to promote religious values and protect cows.
Shankaracharya plans to campaign for his candidates, appealing to Sanatani voters to support the ‘Gau Bhakt’ candidates. He will also meet with local saints to solicit their assistance.
This announcement has not been well-received by any political party. The move has created difficulties for both the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) and the NDA (National Democratic Alliance). RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad emphasized the need to keep religion and politics separate and discouraged individuals in high religious positions from entering politics, while also criticizing BJP’s alleged political use of religion. BJP spokesperson Prabhakar Mishra echoed this sentiment, stating that people in religious positions should avoid politics. The BJP will conduct a ‘Sanatan Samagam’ under the banner ‘Bande Sanatan’ to connect with people.
This announcement by Jyotish Peethadheeshwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati has brought the debate on Sanatan Dharma and cow protection back to the forefront of the political discussions surrounding the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Sources suggest that BJP leaders are trying to convince Shankaracharya to reconsider his decision. If Shankaracharya persists, BJP could face adverse consequences in Bihar.
