Patna/Munger: In what could redefine the religious tone of Bihar’s electoral politics, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Friday declared the start of a new political campaign centred on Sanatan Dharma and cow protection, announcing that independent cow-worshipping candidates will contest in all 243 assembly constituencies of the state.
Addressing followers upon his arrival in Munger, the Shankaracharya said the movement—named the Gau Voter Sankalp Yatra—would seek to mobilise Sanatan Hindus around the issue of declaring the cow as the mother of the nation.
“The protection of Sanatan Dharma is possible only if we protect the cow,” Shankaracharya said. “Cow protection is not merely a matter of faith—it is the foundation of our society and culture.”
The spiritual leader said he would personally campaign for candidates committed to cow protection, urging voters to support only those who pledge to prioritise the cause in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
‘No party took a stand on cow protection’
Swami Avimukteshwaranand said that before taking this political step, he had approached the national headquarters of all major political parties in Delhi, urging them to clarify their stance on declaring the cow as the mother of the nation.
“We met representatives of national parties and requested that they express their views in Parliament. But none have taken a stand. Therefore, we are now compelled to field our own cow-worshipping candidates,” he said.
He added that once the nomination process begins, a list of candidates contesting under his guidance will be formally released.
Sanatan politics enters Bihar’s poll discourse
The Shankaracharya’s entry into Bihar’s electoral landscape comes at a time when religious symbolism and identity politics have been gaining traction ahead of the two-phase Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled for November 6 and 11. Analysts say this move could appeal to conservative Hindu voters and potentially fragment sections of the NDA and Grand Alliance vote banks in rural regions where cow protection resonates deeply.
According to Shailendra Yogiraj Sarkar, national media in-charge of the Shankaracharya’s campaign, the movement has received “overwhelming support” from devotees and rural Sanatan groups. “People see this as a sacred mission, not merely a political one,” he said.
Political observers in Patna note that while the influence of religious leaders in Bihar’s politics has historically been limited, the Shankaracharya’s stature and organised structure could make the movement a talking point in this election season.
