BJP’s own manifesto after 11 years

It may “better” Congress’ offer of Rs. 3 a kg for rice

NEW DELHI: The Hindutva agenda — including the three big issues of Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, implementation of a uniform civil code and abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution that confers special status on Jammu and Kashmir — is expected to be back on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s manifesto to be released here on Friday on the occasion of Ram Navmi.

The party will be releasing its own manifesto ahead of a Lok Sabha election after a gap of 11 years — the last, according to a party functionary, was in 1998.

In 1999 and 2004, the BJP did not release its own separate manifesto but an agenda for governance of the National Democratic Alliance.

While in 2004 the agenda for governance did make a reference to the Ayodhya issue, it said it favoured an “amicable resolution” of the dispute through “intensified” efforts “for dialogue and a negotiated settlement in an atmosphere of mutual trust and goodwill.” It also said any judicial verdict in this matter “should be acceptable to all.”

In 2009, it is expected to go back to its earlier stand that besides a resolution through the courts and negotiations, a third option for resolution of the issue would be through “legislation,” that is, the Centre could legislate to take over the disputed land and hand it to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (a Vishwa Hindu Parishad-dominated organisation) for building a Ram temple. Of course, add BJP leaders, this could happen only if the BJP were to get a majority of its own, which the party does not expect at all.

The two other issues — uniform civil code and abrogation of Article 370 — had found no mention at all in the 2004 agenda for governance, having been vetoed by the party’s NDA allies. Instead, the NDA had promised “autonomous regional councils for Jammu and Ladakh with adequate financial and administrative powers.” But this time, since this is a BJP, not an NDA document, the party has decided to highlight all of its ideological issues to send a strong signal to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh that it is back on the Hindutva track.

After the 2004 election results, L.K. Advani had said “neglect of our [the BJP’s] core constituency” was one of the main factors responsible for the defeat.

Party insiders suggested that the BJP manifesto will “better” the Congress offer of Rs. 3 a kg for rice and wheat and it could offer loans at a special low rate of 4 per cent to farmers.