By-election: BJP playing the U.S. card?

By Manas Dasgupta

HIMMATNAGAR, SEPT. 19. Fighting the by-elections in the State with its back to the wall, the ruling BJP in Gujarat is hoping to gain from the anti-Pakistan sentiments generated in the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. The ruling party leaders have tried to drive home the point that a defeat of the BJP would send a wrong signal at this crucial juncture in countering cross-border terrorism.

``The U.S. development has helped us a lot and the people have started feeling that the BJP-led government was required at this juncture,'' the BJP Himmatnagar unit president, Mr. Rashmikant Pandya, said. It was echoed by the party's Sabarkantha district vice-president, Mr. Suresh Gandhi and other leaders. However, Congress leaders disagree that the U.S. developments could influence the voters of the Sabarkantha Lok Sabha and Sabarmati Assembly constituencies.

Sensing a golden opportunity for the party in view of the growing unpopularity of the BJP in the State, the Congress has launched a major offensive. For the first time in many years, the party leaders have closed ranks to campaign for the party nominees. Though neither of the two candidates in the by-elections belonged to his group, the senior dissident leader and former External Affairs Minister, Mr. Madhavsinh Solanki, is devoting time to campaign for the party nominee, Mr. Madhusudan Mistry.

The BJP has an advantage in Sabarkantha in its candidate, Mr. Upendra Trivedi, a popular hero in the Gujarati film world. But his nomination has failed to enthuse the Sangh Parivar as he is seen as an outsider.

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