ELECTION EYE - BJP may outdo Congress on populism

Thu Mar 26, 2009

1 of 1Full SizeNEW DELHI (Reuters) - The following is a snapshot of recent developments in India's general election campaign. (Items are from own sources unless stated.)

The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto will likely be even more populist than that released this week by ruling Congress party. The BJP looks set to sell rice to families below the poverty line at the hugely subsidised price of 2 rupees a kilo. That would be going one better than its main political rival, who promised to sell 25 kilos of wheat or rice per month at 3 rupees a kilo. The BJP has in the past been seen as more pro-market and less populist than the centre-left Congress party. (Economic Times, Times of India).

The chief minister of Uttar Pradhesh has blocked a major BJP election rally in Azamgarh town, seen by the Hindu right as a major recruitment hub for Jihadi militancy. Security is likely to be one of the Hindu-nationalist BJP's major campaign platforms. Party leader L.K. Advani was set to address the rally, which local officials say was blocked because of security reasons and suggested an alternative venue. Local BJP politicians said blocking the rally was evidence of bias against the BJP by the controversial chief minister Mayawati, who heads a rival party. (All newspapers)

A court in Uttar Pradesh rejected a plea by Varun Gandhi, great-grandson of India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, to quash police reports about a recent speech in which Gandhi is alleged to have made inflammatory comments against Muslims. Gandhi denies the charge and says video tapes of the speech have been doctored as part of a political conspiracy to tarnish his image.