NEW DELHI
Will “Kashi, Ayodhya, Mathura” fetch the Bharatiya Janata Party 350 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in April-May 2024? Will the party’s traditional Hindutva plank strike a chord with the people during the parliamentary polls next year? The answer is: possibly.
The BJP is hopeful that its “pilgrimage politics” will help it get a massive mandate in 2024. BJP is also confident that its “Chalo Ayodhya” programme, coupled with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma, and the renovation of the religious towns of Lord Shiva (Kashi), Krishna Janmabhoomi (Mathura) and Ram Janmabhoomi (Ayodhya) will do miracles for the party.
The BJP believes that the Opposition will be clueless once this issue gains momentum with the passage of time. The parties in the Opposition, particularly the Congress, will find it difficult to either support the issue of Hindutva or oppose it. In particular, the northern Hindi belt will pose a tough challenge for the Congress. The Ram temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated on 22 January. The common public will be allowed to have a darshan of Ram Lalla after the inauguration of the temple by PM Modi.
The BJP will mobilise the public to reach Ayodhya in large numbers as part of its “Chalo Ayodhya” programme. All ministers, MLAs and leaders belonging to the BJP will help send the public to Ayodhya. During his election rallies, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has promised to arrange for the people a free trip to Ayodhya. The BJP will reveal its comprehensive strategy well before the inauguration of the temple. Sources say that the elections that are scheduled to be held by the end of 2024, in around eight states, including that of Maharashtra and Haryana, could be brought forward and clubbed with the Lok Sabha elections expected to be held in March-April. The Chalo Ayodhya programme, which will start in a few weeks from now will continue till the announcement of the Lok Sabha election dates. The Budget Session in February will be just a formality. The government will present an interim budget following which the general elections could be announced. Broadly, the BJP has discussed the names of the candidates to be fielded in the elections. By fielding several MPs in the recently concluded Assembly elections, the BJP has hinted that a large number of sitting Lok Sabha MPs will not be given tickets next year. It is being said that since its “pilgrimage politics” will ensure the victory of most of its candidates, the BJP might go with several new faces. Already, there is a massive hype about Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura on social media. PM Modi has spoken about plans to construct a huge Krishna temple in Mathura. Yogi Adityanath is also active on this mission.
It is primarily the Ayodhya issue that has catapulted the BJP to its high political pedestal, with its journey starting from two Lok Sabha seats. The incident of 6 December 1992 is still fresh in political history of India when lakhs of devotees reached Ayodhya, to mark the culmination of BJP’s Rath Yatra. What happened thereafter is history, with a large section of the Hindu population shifting focus from “Mandal” to “Kamandal”. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is trying to revive the same Mandal politics now, seeking a caste census. He seems to have been advised that the Congress can stage a comeback only on the basis of “caste politics”. But there is no possibility of Mandal overshadowing Kamandal this time around. Kamandal has gained massive public support already. Caste census could not dominate the political discourse in the states that went to the elections last month.