BJP will cash in on Ram Temple idol consecration to hilt in Lok Sabha poll

KS Tomar

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Being a land of deities and goddesses, “Devbhumi”, people in Himachal are likely to experience the cascading impact of Ram Temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya and the BJP is poised to exploit it to the hilt during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

A dose of Hindutva may be compounded due to aggressive campaigning of the BJP which will also focus on its strategy to discredit one-year performance of the Congress government in the state.

Cong ready to counter propaganda

• Experts say Congress leaders seem to be ready to counter the BJP propaganda. Hence, the Sukhu government declared January 22 as public holiday
• The CM’s residence Oakover was lit on the consecration day and an idol of Lord Rama will be established alongside of Lord Hanuman at Jakhu Temple
• The Congress has chalked out a strategy to counter the BJP’s ‘propaganda’ by reaching out to people

As per 2011 census, Hindus constitute 95.17 per cent of the total population whereas minorities, including Muslims, comprise barely 4.83 per cent, which makes BJP’s task easy to politically exploit the Ram Temple consecration issue.

Experts say that hill state people are religious minded and Lord Rama reigns supreme. Hence, the BJP may pounce upon it to derive the political mileage in elections. Second, Congress party’s stand will be dubbed by BJP as anti-Lord Rama which has the potential to damage party nominees in the state. Third, the BJP’s top leaders feel that the Ram Temple issue will be mixed with other ingredients like Modi’s guarantee, Centre’s 10-year achievements and good governance which is bound to yield positive result. Fourth, BJP leaders say that Modi has been at the forefront of the Ram Temple construction movement which will be rewarded when he appeals to give him third term in 2024.

BJP party cadres and leaders have formulated an action plan to take Ayodhya’s message to every village, town and city to mobilise people in favour of Modi. Political observers say that the BJP will be targeting the Sukhu government for its one-year performance and accuse it of misleading the people vis-a-vis the implementation of 10-point poll guarantees, especially creation of jobs. The BJP may take credit for the adoption of the resolution during national executive meeting held from June 9-11, 1989 held at Palampur in Kangra district which demanded construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

Experts say Congress party leaders seem to be ready to counter the BJP propaganda. Hence, the Sukhu government declared January 22 as public holiday. CM’s residence Oakover was lit on the consecration day and the idol of Lord Rama will be established alongside of Lord Hanuman at Jakhu Temple. The Congress has chalked out a strategy to enlighten the people to see through the design of the BJP which will try to exploit the name of Lord Rama.

The party has plans to expose the BJP for taking shelter under the name of Lord Rama to conceal Centre’s failures. Analysts believe that the Congress in Himachal will face a major challenge of BJP’s new weapon of Hindutva in 2024 hence it will have no option but to counter it effectively.

(Writer is a political analyst & senior journalist based in Shimla)