The BJP in Uttar Pradesh has landed itself in a no-win situation, following the Ayodhya verdict. The BJP leadership’s failure to give an expected response to the court verdict has led to a deep sense of despair among party cadres.
Hindu hardliners like Mahant Yogi Adityanath and Varun Gandhi have withdrawn into their shell and have asked their supporters to wait for the appropriate time. Other leaders who played a key role in the Ayodhya movement are said to be equally disappointed at the posture adopted by the party leadership.
BJP MLA from Ayodhya, Lallu Singh, has also maintained a studied silence on the party’s posture but his supporters are more vocal. “The BJP has betrayed the Hindus by speaking the Congress language on the verdict. Hindus expected a more categorical stand from the BJP and they will never forget this betrayal. The BJP will emerge as the biggest loser in UP this time,” said a local leader form Ayodhya.
The extent of despondency in the party is evident from a recent incident when a group of about 20 young party workers went to Delhi to meet the party leadership and seek directives for future action. They were reportedly so disappointed at the insistence of senior leaders to sweep the issue under the carpet that they promptly went and joined the Congress instead.
“We went to Delhi hoping that the party leadership would give us guidelines for a movement in favour of the temple but we were curtly told not to even talk on the issue. If this is the stand then we might as well go to the Congress and that is what we did,” said one of the youth leaders in the group.