RAIPUR: In the recent Chhattisgarh Assembly polls, a constituency saw a keen saffron-versus-saffron contest, with the BJP’s brand of Hindutva finally trouncing the Congress’ version.
The Raipur-South constituency saw seven-time BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal pitted against Congress’ Mahant Ramsundar Das, a twice MLA and chief of Dudhadhari Matha (Hindu monastery).
The local people are emotionally attached to the beliefs and traditions associated with Matha and have high regard for the Mahant. It was supposed to be a safe seat for the party that launched an aggressive campaign against the ‘Sanatana or Hindutva’ appeal of the BJP. However, Agrawal, now an MLA for the eighth consecutive term, created a significant milestone registering the highest victory margin of 67,719 in the Chhattisgarh elections.
“This is the victory of the people who saw Congress and its associated elements using money with muscle power to defeat me. The election result shows the people had made up their minds to teach a lesson to the Congress that hatched a conspiracy against me. It’s the Congress that tried to polarise the voters, not the BJP,” Agrawal told this newspaper.
The poll outcome is sought to be projected as a political message. Congress’ Hindu seer candidate, Ramsundar Das, who is also the chairman of ‘Gauseva Ayog’, proved no match for the senior BJP leader.
The Mahant claimed himself as a true follower of Lord Ram and denied there was any effort by Congress to polarise the voters on religious lines. “The party fought well, as a devout sadhu I do not nurture any fear over loss,” said Mahant.
Observers attribute the popular approval for Agrawal to his wide popularity. The Congress didn’t appear to have any effective leader or action plan to counter Agrawal, who is known to have nurtured his constituency. The BJP said the alleged attack on Agrawal during his poll campaign in a Muslim-dominated area of Chhotapara also led to massive support for him.“The development stopped across urban Raipur under the Congress rule will now be in focus,” Agrawal said after his victory.
Elsewhere in Chhattisgarh, Congress had tried to match BJP’s saffron genre. After coming to power in 2018, the state government publicized schemes to buy cow dung and cow urine. In 2022, the state government expanded the ambit of its so-called Godhan Nyay Yojna. It was a scheme to procure cow urine at Rs. 4 per litre. The state government started to procure cow dung at a rate of Rs. 2 per kg. They were reportedly procured to make fertilizer and pesticides named Jeevmitra and Brahmastra. Though the RSS supported the move, the BJP mocked the decision saying that instead of helping the youth find employment, the Chhatisgarh government was forcing them to collect cow dung.
Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government was also active in building and beautifying temples in the name of Mata Kaushalya, the mother of Shri Ram. The construction of statues of Shri Ram at different places was also an important programme of the Baghel government. Mr. Baghel himself laid the foundation stone for the expansion of an ancient temple of Mata Kaushalya in Raipur as he believed that Chhattisgarh was the maternal home of Lord Ram.