Modi launches Kesariya Yatra in Gujarat

MANDATE 2004

It almost appears like the lull before the storm. While the Congress has gone on record, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Narendra Modi and pledging to make the "non-existence of rule of law" in Gujarat as an election issue, it remains to be seen weather the BJP actually leverages the situation to its benefit by triggering off a wave in its favour.

Indeed, Narendra Modi's proposed Kesariya Yatra (saffron yatra), which is scheduled to begin today, could be the answer to the issue.

That the minority vote bank is firmly behind the Congress is no secret. Thus, it does the Congress little service if it rakes up the religious issue or the issue of safety of minorities in the state. Thus, the Congress has been playing it safe by saying that it will go to town, on the plank that the rule of law, which applies for all citizens, does not exist under Narendra Modi as chief minister.

However, there is no doubt that the Congress is all set to make the SC ruling an issue for the forthcoming elections, more with the intention of gaining ground in other states than in Gujarat. Within hours of the SC ruling, the Congress launched a fresh attack on the BJP in Gujarat and even outside, ahead of the parliamentary elections.

In fact, the Congress said on Monday this would be an election issue and that the people vote keeping in mind the Supreme Court order. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who was in Gujarat on Wednesday, equated the central government with the state government, which has come under the severest form of criticism by the Supreme Court.

Terming the state government as corrupt, Gandhi quickly equated it with the central government, a clear attempt at gaining mileage in areas outside Gujarat.