Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who is the executive editor of party’s mouthpiece Saamana, on Sunday wrote that the BJP’s decision to shun hardcore Hindutva ideology was responsible for its defeat in Karnataka elections. In a hard hitting column, he said, “Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who sweeps the elections in his home state, tried to adopt pseudo secular image outside, which proved fatal for the BJP. What is the difference between Modi and AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh if both are speaking the same language of secularism, which in current context means avoid concerns for the majority Hindus and indulge in appeasement of minority Muslims?”
Raut added that it is time the BJP learnt its lessons or else people will continue to vote for the Congress.
“All those BJP leaders who are out to project Modi as the next prime minister and believe he can swing sizeable votes to their fold should do some introspection. Modi was the star campaigner of the BJP in Karnataka Assembly elections. He held rallies at Mangalore, Bangalore and Belgaum, and received a mammoth crowd. But wherever Modi campaigned the BJP lost.”
Exhorting the BJP to revert to its hardcore Hindutva agenda, Raut said, “The question that needs to be addressed is who is the leader of 80 per cent Hindus in India? The Congress has already established its secular credentials which amounts to appeasement of the minorities. In the recently concluded elections it has proved that people are not going to vote on anti-corruption plank or development. Which leaves the BJP and Sena with no other alternative but to go back to Hindut-va…There are reports of Varun Gandhi taking tough stand on Hindutva and receiving good response in UP where Modi is trying to make inroads.”
State BJP leaders refused to comment on Raut’s column. A senior BJP leader said, “Modi is a popular leader. A state election cannot be the yardstick to determine the ability of a national leader.”