BJP may go to UP polls with Modi as Ravan slayer

Hardliners are of the opinion that making surgical strikes its main poll plank will push the party to the top, while moderates are talking about the ‘Bihar debacle’, where the BJP played the nationalist card and lost

A debate is raging within the BJP on whether the surgical strikes carried out across the LoC could be a poll winner for the party in Uttar Pradesh. While a section in the party is against making this as the main poll plank and think the focus should remain on caste equations, hardliners are in favour of going all-out on the issue.

A propaganda blitzkreig has already been unleashed by the party in Uttar Pradesh, setting the tone for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Lucknow’s Aishbagh Ram Lila ground to “slay” Ravana on Dussehra, October 11.

Hardliners are of the opinion that making surgical strikes its main poll plank will push the party on top of the ladder, while moderates are talking about the “Bihar debacle”, where the BJP played the nationalist card and lost. The nationalist hysteria created by the party had united the Opposition in Bihar, a party functionary pointed out.

Aware of the BJP’s game plan to make surgical strikes its main poll plank, the CPI(M) on Saturday joined the Congress and flayed the saffronites for using the issue for political gains.

Speaking to this newspaper, a senior BJP functionary said that the party should adhere to its development plank and focus on the caste equations. He argued that the “hardliners’ moves to make surgical strikes the main issue and play the nationalist card could boomerang, as it did in Bihar.”

“We kept talking about Pakistan and cow slaughter. We completely ignored our development agenda and tried to play the nationalist card in Bihar. The result is before us,” he said, and added that he feared that the party was “going to commit the same mistake all over again.”

One of the major nationalist slogans raised by the BJP in Bihar was that if the party “lost by mistake, crackers will be burst in Pakistan.”

One of the party hardliners, known to be close to BJP chief Amit Shah, argued that the BJP, which was “slipping” in UP, “has bounced back after the strikes.” For him, “flexing of muscles” by the Prime Minister has charged the cadres and voters.

Mr Modi’s proposed visit to Aishbagh Ram Lila ground will be “symbolic,” he maintained. The Prime Minister is expected to participate in the “aarti” and then fire an arrow, setting the effigy of demon king Ravana on fire. As far as symbols go, this one, on Dussehra, will be a potent one.

It may be recalled that a couple of days ago posters had appeared across UP, particularly in Varanasi, showing Mr Modi as Lord Ram with his arrow pointed towards “Ravan”, who in this case happened to be Nawaz Sharif with 10 heads. Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief, was portrayed as Meghanad, the son of Ravana, saying he is “a supporter of Pakistan”.

The importance of UP polls for the party became clearer with even the RSS mouthpiece, Organiser, saying in an article, “Winning UP is a must.” And in its latest issue, the magazine’s lead article suggests that the “pressure (on Pakistan) must continue.” On Friday, Amit Shah had also hinted that the party “will take the issue of surgical strikes to the people.”

Aware of the BJP’s game plan, rival political parties, particularly the Congress, have already started making noises over the BJP’s attempt to make this an issue to win votes.

On Saturday CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted, “Lines deliberately being blurred between ruling political party, its fountainhead, and Central govt. India far bigger than their PR machine.”

BSP supreme Mayawati, who apparently is leading the race at this point, has also begun targeting the BJP for trying to “gain political mileage” from the surgical strikes.

“Only the Indian Army deserves to be hailed and felicitated for the successful operation, and not any of the ministers, defence minister or Prime Minister,” she said.