Amid Ram temple frenzy, will Rahul Gandhi's soft Hindutva save Congress?

New Delhi: Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party has been building a frenzy over the inauguration and praan pratishtha at Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on 22 January, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has seemingly launched his own soft Hindutva touch to counter the expected saffron surge.

The Nehru-Gandhi family scion prayed at the Kedarnath temple and participated in the aarti on Sunday. 

Interestingly, the Kedarnath temple visit came just days ahead of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Telangana and Rajasthan Assembly polls. Sources pointed out that the move by the former Congress chief has apparently been prompted after the BJP brought the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple issue to the forefront of election campaigning in the ongoing political contest.

The Congress feels that by Rahul Gandhi’s visit to temples, it would be able to woo the fence sitters and undecided Hindu voters in the cow belt region, sources said.

Interestingly, the strategy by the Congress leaders visiting temples was also implemented in Karnataka, where the party secured a clear victory recently.  

Similar diktat for leaders in states is also likely soon, and more visits to local and significant temples by senior leaders in state like Kamal Nath, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel will be seen, sources said.  

These temple tours aren’t likely to end with forthcoming assembly polls and the Congress hopes to counter the BJP’s Ram Janmabhoomi Temple push by reaching out to local Hindu leadership ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha polls, sources said.

By playing to the saffron supporters’ gallery, the Congress hopes to wrest power from the BJP and ensure that the grand old party is able to secure another major state ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

The BJP had recently tweaked its political strategy after predictions of a massive loss in the forthcoming Assembly polls. The saffron party is now actively banking on the sentiment created by the scheduled inauguration of Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya for a victory in future polls. 

Congress’ Hindutva strategy causing problems for allies?

On the day Rahul Gandhi visited Kedarnath, there was a massive statement by Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, denouncing the grand old party.

"Do not vote for Congress, they're master in betraying. If they can betray us, what makes you (common people) think that they won't betray you?” said the INDIA bloc leader Yadav.

While various interpretations are being attributed to the statement, the Samajwadi Party chief’s comments can be seen in the light of the Congress’ newfound love for the Hindu vote bank. The SP feels that the closeness with Congress may adversely affect its poll prospects, hence the need for the harsh statement, sources said.

It is understood that the SP leadership is extremely peeved with the grand old party’s pandering to majoritarian sentiments and is expected to show its resentment against the Congress’ soft Hindutva practices at the next INDIA bloc meeting. 

Due to the minority dominant vote bank of many INDIA bloc allies, SP isn’t expected to be the only ally of the Congress which is likely to raise concern over the strategy. Several others including Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal United and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) are expected to express their reservation regarding Rahul Gandhi’s move.  

Unless the Congress gives clarity to its own leaders and brings INDIA bloc allies on board regarding its latest political strategy against the BJP, the 2024 road for the grand old party is expected to be very difficult.