By fielding Sadhvi, BJP gives push to Hindutva plank

When the BJP on Thursday fielded Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur to take on its chief detractor in Congress' Digvijay Singh, it clearly pitched the electoral battle in Bhopal as between perpetrators of Hindu terror theory and its victim.

The saffron party seems to be back to its hardline Hindutva plank after the first phase of polls to 91 Lok Sabha seats.

In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP’s Vikas Purush Shivraj Singh Chouhan failed to turn the tide of a 15-year-old anti-incumbency and the Congress formed the government a few months ago. In Maharashtra, the Congress and NCP have come together.

At this stage, fielding Sadhvi will have resonance not only in MP but also in other states, including Maharashtra. Ever since the NIA’s clean chit to her in Malegaon case and the acquittal of Swami Aseemanand in the Samjhauta Express case, the BJP has gone to town, accusing the Congress of “defaming” Hindus by “hatching conspiracies”.

Though names of former BJP CMs Chouhan and Uma Bharti were being speculated as probable candidates, the saffron party chose to field Pragya Thakur, who came into spotlight only after her name figured in the Malegoan blast case.

This is the second such seat where the BJP has fielded a saffron-clad Hindu monk against a senior Congress leader whom it has been attacking for “Hindu terror” remarks. The other being Sholapur in Maharashtra, where the BJP has fielded Jai Siddheshwar Swami against former home minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

The BJP has been attacking Shinde over his “Hindu terror” remark made during the UPA II rule. Though Shinde expressed his regret in 2013, the BJP has tried to put the Congress in a corner.

If BJP manages to win both from Bhopal and Sholapur not only will it defeat two big Congress leaders but it will also go to town with the message that those “speaking against Hindus” have no future in the country’s politics.

In Sholapur, Shinde is already facing a challenge from Prakash Ambedkar, whose candidature as a third force can take a substantial chunk of Dalit votes away from Congress.

Sadhvi’s nomination has drawn reactions from politicians and celebrities.

Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “Imagine the anger if I’d field a terror accused. Channels would’ve gone berserk by now trending a mehboobaterrorist hashtag! According to these guys terror has no religion when it comes to saffron fanatics but otherwise all Muslims are terrorists. Guilty until proven innocent (sic).”

“The choice of the BJP for The candidate in Bhopal is indeed impeccable. Sadhvi Pragya is the perfect prosonification of sangh parivar’s thoughts and actions. Wah ! Wah !! Wah !!! (sic),” tweeted lyricist-turned-politician Javed Akhtar.

BJP Vice President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, however, strongly justified the “welcome decision” saying she “symbolises the fighting spirit of a woman, the courage for braving unspeakable torture for victory of truth and above all our relentless struggle to free democracy from crass Vote Bank politics.”