A Hindutva versus Hindutva battle is on in Madhya Pradesh ahead of the crucial state elections slated to be held later this year. The Congress has gone overboard trying to prove to the voters that it is no less Hindu than the BJP. The secular Congress has gone bhagwa in an attempt to shed its minority appeasement image, which is most likely to be flagged by the BJP as the campaign progresses — going by what has been seen in all previous elections.
Priyanka Gandhi kicked off the Congress campaign in MP by performing Narmada puja at Gwarighat in Jabalpur, accompanied by Congress president Kamal Nath, and other leaders.
Last week, amid chants of Jai Shri Ram and a declaration of support for the assembly elections, an outfit called Bajrang Sena merged itself with the Congress party. The party is positioning Kamal Nath as a 'Hanuman bhakt' similar to Rahul Gandhi’s 'Shiv bhakt' image. However, that hasn't yielded significant benefits to the party. Kamal Nath has been credited with building a 101-foot idol of Lord Hanuman in his constituency Chhindwara a few years ago.
However, the party needs to be wary of the fact that the public may prefer the original over a copycat. This strategy diverts attention away from key issues and anti-incumbency against the Shivraj Chouhan government as media limelight is hogged by such news.
The Congress ran a tight campaign in Karnataka on 'local, ladies and laabharthis'. In fact, it was countering the Hindutva politics of BJP in the state and won the mandate on an inclusive approach.
The strategy is fraught with risks, as the Congress that is not shying away from playing the Hindutva card in MP will be approaching the general elections fighting against the Hindutva politics of BJP and presenting its secular credentials.
Ahead of the 2018 elections as well, Rahul Gandhi had paid visits to many temples as the Congress adopted a soft Hindutva approach. The Congress in its manifesto promised to launch a “Ram Van Gaman Path” tour to retrace Lord Ram’s footprints in MP. It also promised to set up a new religion and spiritual department with plans to begin commercial production of cow urine and cow dung cakes in gaushalas. The Congress emerged as the single largest party and formed a government, but it was shortlived as party MP Jyotiraditya Scindia exited with his supporters.
Soft Hindutva A Zero Loss Strategy For Congress
It seems party strategists have drawn a conclusion that the Congress won due to these measures. However, the party's victory in 2018 is largely attributed to its clear & communication “waqt hai badlav ka”, its tight ticket distribution, its localised approach shunning presidential style campaign, and its promises on farm loan waiver, unemployment allowance and cheaper electricity for the poor.
The party hopes that the minority community has no option but to back the Congress. There was significant Muslim consolidation in favour of the party in Karnataka (88%). Muslims account for just 7% of the state population, and strategists believe this soft Hindutva is a zero loss strategy.
Normally aggressive Hindutva and resultant polarisation works in states where minority population is nearer or higher than the national average of 14%, like in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal and Maharashtra etc.
Despite the zero loss belief of Congress, some leakages in the Muslim vote are expected to parties like AIMIM and AAP, which have made their mark in pockets in local body polls, especially from the younger lot in the community. The Muslim population is high in Bhopal and Burhanpur districts where AIMIM could make a dent in the Congress vote.
While pursuing this strategy, the party needs to ensure that big mouth leaders like Digvijaya Singh remain tightlipped and are not allowed to speak on this matter, as this could spoil the entire effort. Singh's previous statements against the RSS could be used by the BJP to paint the Congress anti-Hindu.
The Congress will be better placed focussing on raising issues that impact the common man — unemployment, inflation, agri distress for example — and infighting within the state BJP. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in his fourth term, is facing anti-incumbency but is not unpopular. Learning from losses in Himachal and Karnataka, he has already started doling out cash benefits (Rs 1,000 per month) to women voters, with a promise to increase it further with time. This could negate the Congress guarantee of subsidised cylinders and Rs 1,500 per month to women head of the family.
The party should focus on the five guarantees it promised in Karnataka — Gruha Jyothi, Gruha Lakshmi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti Yojana and Yuva Nidhi — and their propagation. It is advisable not to play on the Hindutva pitch where BJP is strong.
The author is a political commentator and SEBI-registered investment advisor.
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