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Facing its first assembly election in Goa in the aftermath of the violence in Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party is making a conscious effort to avoid the burning issue, and even Hindutva, and instead trying to focus attention on its performance in the last 16 months in power.
Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, whose 1990 rath yatra had whipped up a religious frenzy, which ultimately led his BJP to power, hoped that elections would be fought on issues like good governance rather than 'emotional ones like Ayodhya or Indira Gandhi's assassination'.
Kicking off the BJP's election campaign in Goa, Advani said, "Such down-to-earth issues should be placed before the people."
However, he does not agree that Ayodhya was not the right issue to be placed before the people during elections.
"Every issue has its relevance at various points of time. Good governance is the right issue at this juncture," he said while recalling that the first election in India was fought on the issue of freedom for the country.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar refuses to even believe that Gujarat is an issue for Goans.
"We are fighting elections in Goa, not in Gujarat," he quips.
Booklets highlighting its performance and its future plans for the state are to be distributed among the electorate.
The party's advertising campaign and website are also focusing on these issues.
But the opposition is not willing to play along.
Union Minister Sushma Swaraj, who was also in this coastal state to campaign for the party, accused the Congress of raking the Gujarat issue to garner votes.
While Christians and Muslims are not expected to vote for the BJP, Congressmen are hoping that the Gujarat violence may prompt even Hindus in the state to vote against the BJP.
However, BJP minister Shaikh Hassan claims that Goan Muslims are wise enough to realise that the BJP is not responsible for the Gujarat carnage.
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