The worry was palpable at the Congress headquarters which was marked by unease and disquiet. There were discussions amongst the party leaders that the verdict may have inadvertently put the BJP in an advantageous position, away from the internal tremors the party has been facing over the last several years through a series of electoral defeats. Some wondered whether it would lead to resurgence of a badly bruised BJP.
The CCS and the home ministry kept a close watch on the developments across the country. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram briefed both the CCS, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the core committee, led by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, over the generally peaceful situation across the country including 32 locations identified as sensitive. Chidambaram told the meetings that all the state governments responded positively to the Centre’s appeal to keep a watch on the law and order situation. He said the security forces, deployed in sensitive areas, would continue to stay for the next couple of days. Law minister M Veerappa Moily, who is not a member of either of these panels, was asked to brief on the impact of the judgment.
While the core committee discussed briefly the possible political fallout, the members were generally happy over the atmosphere of calm that followed the verdict. The PM met several Congress leaders of Uttar Pradesh during the day and discussed the situation in the state.
There was, however, apprehension in the party that BJP would revive its temple agenda and take political advantage in the long run. Senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi has said that the BJP stand of the last over 20 years has been vindicated. The Congress leaders feel that the party may find it difficult to put the BJP on the mat after the legal sanction of the stand which the BJP has been taking over the last two decades.
DH News Service