The verbal duel between the BJP and the Congress appears to be a reflection of the more intense confrontation between the two parties in the days to come, ahead of the 2014 lok Sabha polls. While the BJP has accused the opposition parties of being obsessed by the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi phobia, the Congress is ever ready to give a befitting reply. It seems that the two parties are playing the tid for tat game. The remaining parties like the ruling Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have also joined hands against the rising NaMo factor which has started giving them sleepless nights. What they are fearing is that Modi’s stature and his style of campaigning is all set to create polarisation of votes and consolidate the upper caste votes which had in the last few years drifted away from the BJP as a result of the party’s continuous dismal performance at the hustings.
The recent ban by the lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on caste rallies in the State has perhaps made the going more tough for the SP and BSP since they had organised Brahmin rallies to lure the upper castes in their fold. Though BSP chief Mayawati refused to be cowed down by the ban. SHe said that her party will continue to hold rallies for sarva samaj, as per the Constitution. Now the basic target of these rallies was to make a dent in the upper caste votebank. Obviously this is not an easy task as they have to face Modi’s charisma.
With the entry of Modi in the electoral arena, it is very clear that neither the SP nor the BSP will be able to wean away traditional Hindu votes from the BJP. The political rivals opine that once again the BJP may rake the temple issue and adopt an aggressive stance in putting forward its point in its agenda for the coming polls.
However, the temple issue may not gather much steam as in the past since it is believed to have outlived its utility and the people it may not enthuse the people any longer. A glimpse of this was evident when the party’s newly appointed UP-incharge and Modi’s lieutenant Amit Shah chose to hold a meeting of the Avadh Prant in Ayodhya and prior to this he also went for darshan of Ram lala in the Ram Temple and lord Hanuman in Hanuman Garhi.
Though the BJP has clarified that its main poll plank will be development and good governance its Hindutva agenda is more or less clear since Modi had stated that he is a Hindu nationalist and that there is absolutely nothing wrong in that.
The Congress and other opponents are keeping a close watch over Modi’s remarks which invariably create ripples in the Congress camp. Recently, Modi’s “puppy” remark stirred a hornets nest among the non-BJP parties. People are now keeping their fingers crossed and waiting for another slanging match between NaMo and his rivals.
Not up to it
Nearly a dozen senior IAS officers who were on deputation at the Centre were given the opportunity of returning to their home State — Uttar Pradesh. One would think that these bureaucrats will obviously not think twice in returning home after serving a long spell at the Centre. Well, these officials are in two minds regarding their return.
Some of them are pulling strings and making efforts to ensure that their period of stay at the Centre may be extended. The reason for these some of the bureaucrats want to avoid going back to their State as they fear that they may not be able to adjust in the present politicisation of the bureaucracy.
According to sources the Akhilesh Yadav Government is already making preparations and thereby effecting a rejig in the official ranks with an eye on the coming 2014 lok Sabha polls. Of course, the SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has directed his Chief Minister son Akhilesh Yadav to ensure that the SP wins the maximum number of seats in the lS elections so that he may fulfill his long cherised dream of becoming the Prime Minister.
Mulayam had said it was certain that no party will be able to form a Government at the Centre without the SP which is bound to play a pivotal role. Obviously, this will only be possible with the help of a good administrative backup.
MAYA’s STRATEGY
Old timers in the political ranks wondered why did the BSP chief Mayawati, following the opposition trail, target NaMo and criticise the saffron ranksIJ Many opine that it stems from appeasing the minorities.
Many of us may recall how the BSP chief had, in the past, shared a dais with the Gujarat Chief Minister. Recently, she had on two occasions joined hands with the BJP in UP to occupy the Chief Minister’s chair. The BSP-BJP pact however, did not last long and the two parties separated due to differences in ideology.
But minorities are sceptical to find that Behenji is back on her wooing spree of the minorities in the wake of the saffron ranks riding high on the NaMo factor.