Discreet Hindutva pays handsomely

Chhattisgarh

 If the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were to borrow something from the works of Hindi novelist Premchand, they would have taken the word Godan (offering of cows).

 The party's spectacular success in tribal regions re-affirms its faith that the Hindutva agenda if pursued discreetly pays off rich political dividends.

 As psephologists grapple with complex figures in the post-election scenario to find out a convincing political trend to explain poll results, BJP strategists are working on an agenda to retain the tribal vote, which came as a windfall in this elections.

 While the BJP received 38 per cent of votes, one per cent less than the 1998 elections, the Congress