Though the Congress does not want to clearly spell it out, Vaghela is the force behind the party's election strategies and seat allocations.
Conceding to a close fight, Bapu is confident of unseating his old protégée — Modi
AHMEDABAD: He has the charisma, he has the grassroots connect, and he knows how to fight elections - Shankersinh Vaghela, aka bapu, is emerging as the new face of the Congress to take on the BJP (read Narendra Modi) in this crucial do or die election. Though the Congress does not want to clearly spell it out, Vaghela is the force behind the party's election strategies and seat allocations.
The last five years have been long and painful for him. As he prepares for his biggest battle since Khajuraho in 1995, bapu is back in his element — focused, incisive, dripping charm and spelling power. In an elaborate conversation with DNA at 'Vasant Vagdo', his mansion in Gandhinagar, he assures that trivial issues like infighting and bickering cannot affect Congress's fortunes.
"There are five things going against the BJP this time - the UPA government at the Centre, absence of Sangh support for the BJP, and no unity amongst BJP itself, no Hindutva wave or even its remnants among the electorate and no support of government employees - in that order," he says. Government employees generally covertly assist the government during polls. However, 98% of government employees are against Modi today.
Bapu points out that BJP's disadvantages have been strategically converted into Congress's advantages. "Roping in the rebel BJP MLAs has been a very beneficial move. They have heavily dented the BJP's overall image and ignoring bapa (Kehsubhai) has had a very negative impact. I am confident it will translate into votes for Congress."
The Hindu wave, if any, he claims, will be with Congress this time. "The BJP of 2002 was formidable; this is not the same BJP in 2007," he claims confidently.
The absence of an NDA government at the Centre is also the BJP's disadvantage. "Modi is desperately trying to trigger the Hindutva wave by raking up the Ram Setu issue, and later the Tehelka sting to bring back Godhra and the riots. But his efforts have failed. Godhra is just not hot anymore. And if he tries any antics of inducing a so called terror attack or an atmosphere of communal acrimony, UPA will not support like NDA did during the 2002 riots. We are prepared to control it within hours," he said.
Moreover, he says, the BJP does not have any poll issue, which is forcing Modi to go back to the jagged lines of 'Mian Musharraf', Sonia-Italy, and Godhra.
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