Will GPPC chief's attempt to appease minorities benefit Congress in Gujarat?

Ahmedabad, July 20 Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Jagdish Thakor's statement on minorities has sparked a controversy in the state.

While addressing a minority cell meeting in here, Thakor said, "I am saying this with great confidence that come what may, the Congress has never compromised with its policy that the minorities must have the first claim on the nation's resources. This stand might have hurt the party's prospects, yet we stick to it as it is our ideology. We believe in humanity and treat everyone equally."

While the BJP has condemned Thakor's statement, the big question is will his comment benefit the party in the Assembly elections scheduled later this year or will it dent the majority vote bank?

BJP spokesman Yamal Vyas said, "The Congress state unit President's statement clearly shows that the party believes in division, appeasement and vote bank politics. The party has never worked for the upliftment of the society, while the BJP has provided curfew and communal tension-free governance in the state."

Few Congress leaders are skeptical about Thakor's attempt to woo the minority community. One such leader said on condition of anonymity that when the entire society is highly polarised, such statements do not make much difference.

On the contrary, it might work against the party's interest by pushing the majority community away from the Congress, he added.