Hindutva key factor in Gujarat elections

BESIDES BJP, THE CONG MAY ALSO TAKE THE HINDUTVA PATH AFTER ITS DEBACLE IN THE LAST STATE ELECTIONS

The BJP’S choice of hardliner Hindu leader Yogi Adityanath as UP chief minister may have raised eyebrows, but Hindutva already seems to have become the central theme of the upcoming elections in Gujarat.

Virat Hindu Sammelan to be held in Ahmedabad on Sunday and promise of a stricter cow protection law are indications that the BJP looks to revive Hindutva to retain its hold in Gujarat. But it’s not just the BJP. The Congress may also take the Hindutva path after its debacle in the recentlyconcluded state elections.

In the first polls since Narendra Modi moved to Delhi as PM, the saffron party is building up its campaign in his home state on religious lines while keeping on the sidelines the agenda of development – a cornerstone for Modi to leap to New Delhi.

Amid speculations of early polls, the Virat Hindu Mahasammelan by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad themed around building Ram Temple in Ayodhya and Love Jihad is being seen as resur rection of the hardliner wing o the RSS in Gujarat.

“With more than 50,000 volun teers and saints, the sammelan is the biggest one by the VHP in recent times,” said state VHP leader Ranchod Bharwad Another leader Chaman Sindhav said, “Preparations for the con vention started much before the UP win, but the UP results has definitely infused more enthusi asm and the sammelan will help mobilize the cadre. Such conven tions had been happening at the district level. But the Sunday one is one of the biggest.”

The convention, however, has not gone down well with some Patel and Dalit leaders who have questioned its timing.