BJP not to use Ram mandir as campaign issue

NEW DELHI: BJP does not plan to make the demand for a Ram temple at Ayodhya a major campaign issue in Uttar Pradesh during Lok Sabha elections despite attacking the Samajwadi Party's "appeasement" politics.

Though BJP hopes to gain from polarization in west UP after the Muzaffarnagar riots and is accusing the SP government of being "soft-on-terror" in the context of suspected jihadi groups, the temple demand may not be voiced stridently.

The strategy is in keeping with BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi avoiding a Hindutva agenda and stressing governance while reiterating the party's commitment to security issues that include a tough on terror stance.

The Ram temple issue is expected to find due mention in the party manifesto in familiar terms with the party supporting the demand and calling for a resolution of the dispute by judicial order or negotiations.

As an election issue, the demand for a "grand" temple instead of the current makeshift one will be presented as usual, as a matter of faith, but not as intended to overtly gather votes.

BJP president Rajnath Singh's formulation that "Ram temple vote batorne ka mudda nahin hai (not an issue to seek votes)" is likely to guide the party's electoral strategy which relies heavily on attacking SP for corruption and goonda raj.

BJP sources said there were strong electoral issues ranging from insecurity due to poor law and order to overwhelming chaos in cities and towns which, along with Modi's pitch for rapid economic development, suit the party.

With SP's controversial initiatives like seeking release of persons charged with terror crimes and the Muzaffarnagar riots providing a ready sub-text for BJP, the party does not need to revive the Ram temple issue at this juncture.

The temple demand, while not ensuring any significant electoral gain, can isolate BJP at a time when it would like to come across as acceptable to regional parties as a future partner in a coalition at the Centre.

It is just the issue that Modi's rivals hope will trip his candidature, allowing them to claim vindication for having accused him of pursuing a "hidden agenda" that is majoritarian and inherently exclusivist.

The party retains abolition of Article 370, construction of a Ram temple and a uniform civil code as its non-negotiable beliefs, but has been quite willing to put them on the backburner in order to forge coalitions.

BJP leaders do not see benefits in emphasizing Modi's saffron star image when contrasting drift and corruption in UPA with the Gujarat chief minister's development claims might be a more profitable election strategy.