Congress fears Tehelka sting may favour Modi

Fearing that evoking memories of the 2002 Gujarat riots could consolidate the Hindutva votebank behind Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the coming polls, the Congress today gave a tepid response to the sting operation that allegedly implicated Modi in the riots.

While Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said "Narendra Modi has lost all moral and constitutional authority to continue in office" and asked him to step down, Congress managers feel much should not be made of the sting operation.

The Congress' reaction was restricted to only three paragraphs focusing more on the BJP's reaction to the sting operation.

The BJP, according to the Congress, ignored the riots and needed to "come clean" on this issue and explain its position.

Senior Congress leaders involved in the Gujarat elections said the sting operation would only help the BJP as it could lead to a polarisation of votes. In the Congress' campaign too, the riots will not figure in a major way. The party plans to attack Modi on the issues of development.

The BJP, on its part, attacked the magazine, Tehelka, and said Modi detractor and the then state home minister Goverdhan Zadhaphia was now sharing dais with the Congress.

Senior BJP leaders, however, do privately admit that the operation would help Modi in these elections.

"Whenever caste is played as an election issue, Hindutva has the capacity to over rule it," said a senior leader.