RSS predicted YSRCP victory in Andhra Pradesh? No, viral letter is fake

What is the claim?

Social media users are sharing an image of a letter allegedly issued by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that claims to predict a victory for the incumbent Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections based on an 'internal survey conducted by the organization.'

The letter, dated May 13, 2024, includes a table that shows that YSRCP is likely to win 159 seats with a 57.1 percent vote share, while its rival Telugu Desam Party (TDP), is predicted to win 15 seats, with a 36.2 percent vote share, out of the total 175 assembly seats. Andhra Pradesh voted for the state polls on May 13.

The letter also says that the survey, conducted from April 25 to May 5, was released after discussions with RSS workers and volunteers in Andhra Pradesh. It listed some points that purportedly worked for the YSRCP party, including a higher percentage of women voters and the implementation of welfare schemes. The letter was signed by Sri Barla Sundar Reddy, the Telangana region president of RSS, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ideological parent.

A user shared this purported RSS letter with the caption: "For the first time, Bharatiya Janata Party's soul RSS has come out with an exit poll on the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Elections and also shared it on their official website." The BJP and TDP fought the state elections against YSRCP together with the Jana Sena Party.

Screenshot of the claim circulating online. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the viral letter is fabricated.

What are the facts?

We went through RSS's official website but found no such survey or letter on the Andhra Pradesh elections. There is also no press release announcing such a survey. A keyword search on the website with 'Andhra Pradesh' and 'Assembly Elections' yielded no results.  Nothing about YSRCP winning the Andhra Pradesh polls has been said on the organization's social media accounts as well. 

We also did not find any reliable news reports that the RSS had conducted such a survey or an 'exit poll' on the elections.

Logically Facts attempted to contact Barla Sundar Reddy, the undersigned in the letter and were redirected to Ayush Nadimpalli, Kshetra Prachar Pramukh (Area Publicity Head) for Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. Nadimpalli said, "No such letter has been released by the RSS. Even the signature seems to be forged. Our team is looking into what legal action can be taken in this regard." He added that RSS does not conduct such political surveys. 

It is to be noted that the Election Commission has forbidden news channels and political agencies from conducting exit polls until the polling in all seven phases for the 2024 elections concludes. The Election Commission has directed exit poll results to be published only after 6.30 p.m. on June 1.

In 2022, too, a similar RSS 'internal survey report' was circulated in Telangana ahead of the Munugode by-elections. At the time, the RSS dismissed the purported letter as forged. In the clarification note, the RSS stated that it "neither participates in politics nor does it conduct political surveys."

The verdict 

A fabricated letter has been circulated on social media to claim that the RSS predicted a YSRCP win in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections. However, RSS confirmed that the letter is fake.