The saffron party’s contradictory efforts to woo Muslim voters while intensifying anti-Muslim rhetoric highlight deepening communal divisions
Team Clarion
MUMBAI – As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ramps up its campaign for the state elections, a glaring contradiction lies at the heart of its strategy: while the party intensifies its anti-Muslim rhetoric to consolidate the majority vote, it simultaneously attempts to woo Muslim voters with “secular-looking” candidates. This two-faced approach reveals a deepening communal divide in Maharashtra, as the BJP continues to focus on constituencies with substantial Muslim populations.
Working in tandem with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP has focused its attention on 14 key Lok Sabha constituencies where it suffered setbacks in the general elections earlier this year due to what it calls “lopsided voting” by the Muslim electorate in favour of INDIA bloc. The party is now seeking to split the Muslim vote and unite the Hindu majority through Hindutva narratives.
Despite its policies consistently undermining Muslim rights and welfare, the BJP seems to be banking on Muslim disunity to advance its political ambitions. “We are not trying to deny Muslim representation,” said a senior BJP leader. “We want to ensure that no single bloc can decide the outcome in these constituencies,” he said. Critics argue that this reveals the party’s hypocrisy —simultaneously pushing anti-Muslim sentiment while hoping to divide the community’s vote in its favour.
The BJP’s reliance on anti-Muslim rhetoric became evident with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ controversial remarks on “Vote Jihad.” In Kolhapur, Fadnavis blamed the BJP’s loss in Dhulia on Muslim-majority areas like Malegaon Central, accusing Muslims of coordinated voting. “Despite leading in five assembly constituencies, we lost because of the overwhelming Muslim vote in Malegaon Central. This is what I call ‘Vote Jihad,’” he had said.
Fadnavis’ comments are part of a broader strategy to incite fear and resentment among the Hindu electorate, with the BJP hoping to portray Muslims as a monolithic voting bloc working against Hindu interests. This tactic has been widely criticised for stoking communal tensions and deepening religious divides.
The Election Commission has already condemned the use of terms like ‘Vote Jihad,’ labelling it a violation of the code of conduct, but the BJP remains undeterred. By framing the electoral contest as one between Hindutva forces and a Muslim ‘other,’ the party hopes to rally Hindu voters in its favour. “If the majority votes together, no minority can stop us,” one BJP strategist reportedly said.
The hypocrisy of the BJP’s strategy is stark. While it seeks to polarise the majority Hindu vote through fearmongering, it simultaneously fields “secular-looking” Muslim candidates in key constituencies. Figures like Shahnawaz Shaikh, a former AIMIM candidate now aligned with the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), are being used to split the Muslim vote, reducing the community’s electoral influence. The hope is that a divided Muslim electorate will be unable to pose a challenge to the BJP’s Hindu voter base.
Political analysts point out that this double-dealing approach exposes the BJP’s cynicism. While its policies — such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and repeated inflammatory speeches — alienate and marginalise Muslims, the party still expects their votes by creating internal divisions within the community. “It’s a classic case of wanting to have it both ways,” said one political expert. “The BJP wants to vilify Muslims to consolidate its Hindu support, but at the same time, it doesn’t want to lose any potential Muslim votes.”
The RSS, known for its Hindu nationalist ideology, has also become an active player in this election game. Across Maharashtra, RSS teams are holding small, intimate meetings with voters, subtly promoting the Hindutva agenda without openly endorsing the BJP. “We don’t ask people to vote for the BJP, but we create an atmosphere where voting for the current government feels like the right choice,” an RSS insider explained.
This shadow campaign mirrors the BJP’s tactics in Haryana, where similar methods helped the party retain power despite public dissatisfaction. By leveraging welfare schemes and localised narratives, the RSS and BJP hope to sway public opinion and mitigate any anti-incumbency sentiment.
In constituencies like Amravati, Dholia, Mumbai North East, and Thane, the BJP’s strategy is clear: divide the Muslim vote and consolidate the Hindu majority. But this approach, rooted in divisive and communal politics, has sparked widespread criticism. Many view the BJP’s attempts to woo Muslim voters while simultaneously marginalising them as hypocritical and dangerous.
As the election draws near, the true impact of these strategies will soon unfold. However, one thing is certain: the BJP’s reliance on both anti-Muslim narratives and a fractured Muslim vote speaks volumes about its desperation to retain power in Maharashtra, even at the cost of further deepening communal tensions.
