Published in - Bangalore Mail
‘War is won in the barracks not on battlefields’ a quote that emphasis on strategy, and that’s what BJP top leadership has been doing for a decade now.
Expelling kattar hindutvavadi Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, sidelining RSS man KS Eshwarappa, denying ticket to hindutva firebrands like Ananth Kumar and Pratap Shima are not some ad hoc or desperate decisions, it’s a well-planned long-term strategy of BJP top leadership.
Ouster of Yatnal BJP has neutralised the anti-minority, anti-constitution and BJP infighting narrative that Congress was running in Karnataka, importantly it also sent out a message to the surrounding states that is going to polls next year.
BJP through its minority wing announced distribution of 32 lac Eid kits to muslim families, BJP across south of India are organizing iftar parties in small targeted groups, even BJP Tamil Nadu chief Annamalai organised a grand iftar party recently. Rekha Gupta the new chief minister of Delhi who is close to RSS shocked social media by saying there is ram in ramazan and ali in diwali, and called for harmony.
History shows that every regional party in India has done business with BJP and BJP in return has finished or broke many of them. In most states for over 3 decades Congress has been depending on regional alliance and fights elections on its own strength only in 7-8 states, whereas BJP fights elections on its own in most all states and has alliance only in 5-6 states.
BJP top leadership decisions are not only neutralizing the weapons used by Congress but it has dented the Congress narrative in Karnataka. Its time Congress sets a narrative beyond personalities and their divisive statements and take Rahul Gandhi statement on the presence of RSS-BJP people in Congress seriously and gets its house in order at least in Karnataka.
Kavitha Reddy - www.kavithareddy.in