Ram temple pitch coincides with MP poll campaign

Vishwa Hindu Parishad has scaled up the agitation for Ram temple, organising a massive ‘Dharm Sansad’ just four days before Madhya Pradesh goes to polls.

The Ram temple pitch of VHP has coincided with BJP’s strident attack on Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath over a two-month-old video clip in which he exhorted a group of Muslims to go for 90 % voting in Muslim booths to ensure Congress victory.

One of the key Ram Janmabhoomi movement leaders, saffron-clad Uma Bharti, who hails from Bundelkhand in Madhya Pradesh, is campaigning for the election while hardline Hindutva face—Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the most sought-after campaigner in MP.

BJP chief Amit Shah has, however, ruled out any strategic link between polls in states and the rising tempo on Ram Mandir issue.

Addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to counter the soft Hindutva pitch of Congress, alleging that Congress leaders in Kerala slaughter calves, while it talks of Ram in poll manifesto for Madhya Pradesh.

In a rally in Sehore on Friday, Yogi Adityanath blamed the Congress for the delay in the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and said the country needs both Ram and Roti.

The echo of the Dharm Sansad is resonating in Madhya Pradesh, where RSS has been traditionally strong. The Hindutva appeal is now so widespread that even the Opposition Congress party promised in its manifesto a 'Ram Van Gaman Path' (route taken by Lord Ram for his 14-year exile) and building "gaushalas" (cow shelters) in every gram panchayat.

BJP heat on Nath

For last three days BJP has kept the heat on Nath over his “Muslim booth” remarks and Congress manifesto promise of banning RSS Shakhas in government buildings.

While Shiv Sena never won in any assembly election barring one in 1991, its chief Uddhav Thackeray is on a two-day visit to Ayodhya. Experts feel that this is an attempt to counter BJP’s growing Hindutva appeal in Maharashtra due to which Sena has considerably lost electorally.

Madhya Pradesh poll watchers say Hindutva pitch will rise further before campaigning ends on November 26 for the November 28 poll.