Telangana Assembly elections: BJP plans to use Sanatana Dharma controversy to attack Opposition

BJP State president G Kishan Reddy, while addressing party functionaries recently, had asked them to project the BRS, Congress and AIMIM as anti-Sanatana Dharma parties

Hyderabad: The BJP, which has been struggling to be in the race for the forthcoming polls to the State assembly, is now planning to use Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Minister Udayanidhi Stalin’s controversial comments on Sanatana Dharma as a weapon to target the BRS, Congress and the AIMIM during its poll campaign.

BJP State president G Kishan Reddy, while addressing party functionaries recently, had asked them to project the BRS, Congress and AIMIM as anti-Sanatana Dharma parties and use Sanatana Dharma as an electoral ammunition to target the opposition. He reportedly asked leaders to unite the people in the name of Hindutva and to bring the BJP to save Hindu religion.

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However, political analysts believe that the move will prove counterproductive as Dalit communities and OBCs for whom caste discrimination has been a reality may distance themselves from the saffron party. In fact, the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been popularising Hindutva by mostly fuelling anti-Muslim sentiment and never used Sanatana Dharma while dealing with weaker sections.

The BJP’s victories in the last two Lok Sabha elections have been attributed to the party’s successful attempts to win over a substantial section of OBC and Dalit communities, and if it tried to make Sanatana Dharma an issue in the forthcoming polls in Telangana, it may further affect its prospects in the ensuing assembly polls. Most of the weaker section communities believe that Sanatana Dharma encourages caste system and have been keeping away forces supporting it.

Interestingly, even BJP leaders belonging to weaker sections believe that since the party is trying to come to power in the State, any overt Hindutva stance could prove detrimental to its prospects.

With Telangana having a considerable population belonging to weaker sections and backward class communities, the plan of BJP to make Sanatana Dharma as a poll issue is likely to benefit its rival party especially BRS which enjoys massive support among these communities. By using Sanatana Dharma to attack opposition parties, the BJP is likely to get marginalised in the State and pay a heavy political price, a BJP leader belonging to the weaker section said.