Grand old party goes all guns blazing as photos showing BJP members’ alleged ‘terror links’ emerge.
New Delhi: In what is being viewed as a bid to prevent polarization following the Udaipur incident, the Congress is focusing on two issues now. One, it is highlighting the alleged “terror links” of members of the BJP. Two, the grand old party is also making “water scarcity” in Rajasthan a major political issue.
In what signals a change in strategy, Rajasthan’s ruling party is now on the offensive against BJP. The Congress is trying to establish the Udaipur killer’s links with BJP, for which the party is seeking a probe into it.
After the Udaipur incident, the BJP leaders spared no effort to attack Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in what was seen as a bid to polarise the society that always works to the advantage of the saffron party politically. However, the BJP leaders looked divided on this. Now the Congress wants to corner these leaders over various other issues. As part of this strategy, Congress launched a counter-attack on the BJP, accusing it of being linked to one of the killers of Udaipur. At the same time, the party raised Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) seeking to make it a big issue. In fact, the Congress is trying to corner the Central government over ERCP. Chief Minister Gehlot is leading from the front on this, saying that he will get national project recognition to ERCP.
After the gruesome murder of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, Chief Minister Gehlot and his government were under attack from BJP. Congress was having challenging time, with its “Muslim appeasement” politics being debated across the country. What augured well for Congress was that the perpetrators were caught swiftly and the probe was handed over to the NIA.
As photos emerged of Udaipur killer’s alleged links to BJP leaders, Congress got a chance to launch a counter-attack on BJP. The BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria said the picture was edited. He demanded a probe. Meanwhile, in what added to BJP’s problems, some more photos emerged from Jammu and Kashmir allegedly showing a terrorist Talib Hussain as an office-bearer of the saffron party. Pawan Khera alleged that BJP has terror links and its nationalism is hollow. Khera said that BJP tries to divert public attention from price rise, unemployment, and other problems. The Congress also mounted a massive campaign to what it called “expose” BJP’s alleged “terror links”. The party launched a national level campaign to highlight this by holding 22 press conferences in as many cities of the country.
Rajasthan PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra was more aggressive. He wrote to the NIA chief to probe BJP’s alleged terror links. He also took potshots at the internal fight in BJP. He said that BJP leaders have made Udaipur a picnic spot, with leaders visiting the city every other day.
Congress also wants to expose the tussle in BJP over CM post. There is no end to factionalism in BJP. The Vasundhara Raje camp is insisting that she should be announced the BJP’s CM face. The high command has already announced that the polls will be fought on the popularity of PM Modi. Congress is also targeting Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over ERCP. What remains to be seen is whether Congress’ strategy will help counter the polarization.