Play caste card with Hindutva for Raj, Hry, Guj, HP polls

Mumbai: The BJP is pulling all the shots in anticipation of a return to power in Rajasthan and intends to rectify mistakes done in the UP assemblies by a clear emphasis on caste dynamics along with Hindutva. Jats, Thakurs, Brahmins, Yadavs are on the party’s political agenda. PM Narendra Modi’s blue eyed boy Om Mathur, inducted into the party Central Election Committee (CEC) has saddled up already while the party is also pressing into service Haryana Member of Parliament Kuldeep Bishnoi whose family holds considerable sway in three border districts. A person familiar with the developments said, “The BJP has learnt its lessons from Uttar Pradesh where the Samajwadi Party exploited prevalent caste dynamics in western UP to notch up a decent tally in the last assembly polls. In Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal and Gujarat caste dynamics will be exploited in the forthcoming polls in a big way.”

In Rajasthan BJP has already announced its intentions to fight the 2023 polls by projecting the face of PM Modi who has deputed Om Mathur who enjoys the tag of Chanakya in the BJP. The source added, “Mathur, an RSS man had been side-lined for a while owing to his flamboyant ways and apparent political practises of nepotism and denied a Rajya Sabha nomination or even appointed to the organisational post of general secretary. He has since been able to cosy up to the BJP high command and been deployed for the election work in Rajasthan now being an experienced and seasoned hand close to Modi.” Similarly, Haryana MLA, Kuldeep Bishnoi (son of Bhajan Lal) has been primed by the BJP to play a key role in the forthcoming polls not only in that state but also in Rajasthan for clout over Bishnoi community. “The new found mantra of caste and Hindutva politics will be the mainstay of the political maneuvering by the BJP that is aware that the caste factor of Jats and Yadavs cannot be ignored in Indian elections. In (western) UP late Ajit Singh’s son allied with the SP along with Bhupinder Singh Choudhary to the detriment of BJP that lost out some seats there. All elections hereon will see the caste factor being exploited to the hilt by the BJP,” the source said.