NEW DELHI: If there was any doubt about the focus of the Bharatiya Janata Party's Uttar Pradesh election campaign, senior party leader Venkaiah Naidu cleared it here on Saturday: "We will emphasise `sanskritik rashtravad' [cultural nationalism, which is another term for Hindutva] ... while other political parties in U.P.'s election fields are shamelessly competing for the Muslim vote, the BJP will oppose this appeasement politics," he said.

Ayodhya issue

In a few days from now, the BJP would be releasing its election manifesto for U.P. "Wait for that," he said in response to a question on whether Ayodhya and a Ram temple on the disputed site would be an issue. It seems it will be, at least on the manifesto, even if it is not raised during the campaign.

While Hindutva will be the broader issue, the BJP will also focus on issues affecting the daily lives of people — hunger, corruption, electricity, water, and general development. "Bhaya, Bhook, Bhrashtachar Mukt, Sarvottam Uttar Pradesh," (an Uttar Pradesh free of fear, hunger and corruption) is the slogan coined by the party. And with former U.P. Chief Minister Kalyan Singh projected as the party's chief ministerial candidate, the other slogan that will be used by the party is: "Kalyan hai hamara sankalp, bhajpa hee hai vikalp" — our promise is welfare of the people, BJP is the only viable alternative).

With the party's problem in the eastern belt of the State sorted out — the threatened rebellion by Gorakhpur MP Aditya Nath has been contained — Mr. Naidu conceded that efforts by Sangh Parivar leaders like Ashok Singhal and others proved helpful.

The `yogi,' as he prefers to call himself, has been able to get ticket for his nominees for five Assembly constituencies where candidates had not been declared, and he was able to bargain for change of candidates in three segments.

Coincidence

Besides, party sources disclosed that in seven constituencies the "yogi's" preferences coincided with the candidates already selected by the party's Election Committee.

The former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has not been campaigning as yet, citing ill health. But party leaders are hoping that he will be able to address a few key public meetings before the seven-phase month-long elections are over.

Although the area going to the polls in the first phase, April 7, is Mulayam Singh country, with the Samajwadi Party reigning supreme, BJP president Rajnath Singh and the person in charge of the party in U.P., Kalyan Singh, have been campaigning intensely, criss-crossing the area covering 62 Assembly segments, addressing four to five public meetings a day, and ensuring that party workers make the maximum effort to get BJP supporters out to the polling booths on election day.

On the last few days of campaigning for the first phase, Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will address four to five meetings each.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu