Bhopal Lok Sabha seat: It’s Cong `soft’ Hindutva vs BJP `hardline’ Hindutva

BHOPAL: With

Sadhvi Pragya

Singh Thakur entering the fray from Bhopal, the constituency is all set to witness a keen contest between `soft' and `hardline'

Hindutva

, represented by the Congress and the BJP-RSS combine respectively. The fight between the two arch rivals is likely to be dominated by issues like faith, religion and nationalism, while development may be put on the backburner.

The Bhopal Lok Sabha seat has turned into a battleground of ideology with BJP and RSS harping on religious and populist nationalism agenda against the Congress' soft Hindutva. The recent temple run by the Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh has forced the Sangh Parivar to come up with a counter strategy to promote Sadhvi Pragya as a face of `Hindutva' and nationalism against ‘anti-national' forces.

"RSS and BJP have their ideology and Sadhvi Pragya Thakur represents that ideology. In fact, BJP's `Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas" slogan means national and cultural security, safety of women and overall development", said RSS-BJP functionary Anil Soumitra.

After the announcement of Sadhvi Pragya’s candidature from Bhopal, the RSS has briefed its pracharaks (publicity workers) on issues related to nationalism' and `Hindu terror', as coined by the Congress. The ground work has already been done in the last one month before the announcement of Lok Sabha polls. Sadhvi Pragya’s candidature has helped BJP highlight the issue of `Hinduism' across the country.

"RSS is taking this election as big challenge after the BJP's defeat in the assembly elections. Pragya’s ticket has been decided after the nod by Sangh Parivar, hence it is the responsibility of the entire Parivar to ensure her victory in the polls", said a senior BJP state functionary.

The recent temple run by Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh and his bid to highlight his Narmada Parikrama in the poll campaign has given enough ammunition to the saffron forces to attack the Congress on its new love for Hindu votes. BJP leaders claim that in an attempt to woo Hindus Congress would also lose its dedicated Muslim vote, which comprise around 4 lakh in Bhopal.

"Congress' double standard has been exposed. Congress leaders divide the society by supporting the minority class. But, their bid to woo Hindus by hopping from one temple to another has left their vote bank in utter dismay. For Congress it will be "Na khuda mila na visaal-e-sanam”, said BJP Huzur MLA Rameshwar Sharma, who is also looking after the poll campaign of Sadhvi Pragya.

Meanwhile, the Congress attacked Sadhvi by calling her a right wing extremist allegedly involved in terror attack in

Malegaon

. The Congress has also launched a campaign with Digvijaya Singh focusing on his `Bhopal manifesto'.

Sources said that Digvijaya will file his nomination on April 20, while, Sadhvi Pragya will file her papers on April 23, the last date of filing nominations for Bhopal seat. Polling for the high profile battle is scheduled on May 12.