TNN
New Delhi, Nov 28: The unprecedented assault on Mumbai could influence voting in Rajasthan and Delhi, as India’s 9/11 playing out on national TV raised concerns in Congress and sent ripples of optimism in BJP ahead of polling in the two crucial states.
The Mumbai attack could influence voters as Delhi, an urban centre with a profile similar to the financial capital and traumatised in the past, could be swayed by BJP’s campaign. It would vote after a three-day media deluge on Mumbai. Rajasthan hits the hustings when the BJP-Congress blame game would have touched a shrill peak.
The view across political spectrum was that polling in Delhi and Rajasthan would be in the shadow of terrorism. That it is not good news for Congress was evident from partymen who were worried that “BJP will now begin its campaign”. Despite the hype on development, BJP’s star campaigners like L K Advani and Narendra Modi have defended Sadhvi Pragya Singh and disgraced Army officer Shrikant Purohit as “victims” by seizing on their accusations of torture in their rallies.
The SMS campaign of BJP nominees in Delhi started in earnest as they sought ouster of Congress for failing on terrorism. Out of the four poll-bound states, Rajasthan has been a subject of concern in the BJP calculations but the prospects of revival of terrorism as a poll issue may brighten its chances if its “soft on terror” campaign against Congress connects with voters. Congress leaders felt it would pose a threat but they were hopeful to ride it out as Rajasthan is a rural landscape. It could be its only hope as even PM Manmohan Singh betrayed a concern in his address to the nation when he tried to sound tough on terror.
Free from MP, Delhi and Chhattisgarh, Advani is to tour Rajasthan from Friday. Though he expressed solidarity with UPA in his first reaction, he dropped hints the truce was temporary as he said the state and central governments had a lot to answer for. The saffron hopes are that terror as a dominant issue consolidates its Hindu voters. What may have spared Congress is that the late night timing of the Mumbai attack did not make it an issue in MP which voted on Thursday.