The BJP's campaign strategy in Madhya Pradesh is taking a U-turn from its overt agenda of development and report card of its 15-year rule to communal issues. It has become common for the BJP to use videos of Congress leaders referencing 'Ayodhya Ram temple' in their speeches to minority community and press conferences.
To support this move, the BJP has deployed—like it did in Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh—its motor-mouth spokesperson Sambit Patra in Madhya Pradesh to raise issues of Hinduism and minority appeasment by the Congress. “Infamous for stoking communal feelings and insulting people, Sambit Patra is here’’, said Shobha Oza, spokesperson of Congress.
While the Congress, from the very beginning, has ensured that it is not branded a minority party, its state president Kamalnath brought out number of issues dubbed as 'path of soft Hindutva'. In its manifesto, Congress declared that it will set up gaushalas (cow shelter) in all panchayats of the state. It also said that it will revive the mythical Ram Path Gaman route in Chitrakoot where Lord Ram spent his time in exile.
Even Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who toured the state six times for poll campaigning, did not fail to begin his campaign by offering prayers at a local temple. With Congress and its leaders leaving no stone unturned to portray their religious tilt towards Hinduism, the BJP is in a huddle. Fearing the weaning away of voters, the BJP attacked the Congress of being “fake custodians of Hindus’’. Patra accused Rahul Gandhi of being a “fake Shiv bhakt.’’
Patra even released a video on his Twitter handle where Congress state president Kamalnath is seen speaking to Muslim clerics and intelligentsia asking them to be patient during election time. Kamalnath is seen telling Muslim leaders that he has seen how RSS leaders create a divide in society days before polling in Chhindwara.
After showing the video at a press conference, Patra claimed that Kamalnath has been exposed in his efforts to appease Muslim leaders. He claimed that the Congress agenda of creating unrest in society was exposed. He charged the Congress of being "blatant and brazen haters’’ of Hindus.
Meanwhile, a clause in the Congress manifesto that it will ban the use of government property for RSS branches has been converted into an issue to beat the Congress. The BJP and RSS leaders through their statements have created a general impression that the Congress wants to ban the RSS. However, Congress quickly clarified the issue and went on to say that they did not plan to ban the RSS, but simply wants to stop the misuse of government properties. Kamalnath said we have simply stated that we will enact the same law prevalent in Centre and other states where government employees are not allowed to join the RSS.
In order to counter BJP’s media onslaught, the Congress has also deployed its battery of spokespersons from New Delhi. While Congress spokespersons are largely focusing on the issues of health, education, employment and farmer unrest, they have a tough time answering the media questions on Ram temple and RSS ban issue. Senior Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh Pramod Tiwari said, “BJP during election time suffers from the disease of Mandirites (temple fever) as they can not face Congress on the issue of corruption and development."
Congress leader Kamalnath said at a press conference that "The BJP is trying to divert the issues dominant in Madhya Pradesh towards communal disharmony because it has come to the conclusion that they are losing these elections badly."
