BJP strategists believe that the opening of the Ram temple later this month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi could end up driving a wedge in the Opposition INDIA bloc in addition to powering the party’s campaign for the Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP leadership is learnt to have drawn up an elaborate plan to squeeze political mileage out of the inauguration that includes building an army of “temple influencers” in every Lok Sabha constituency. But party managers are now certain that the Opposition leaders with their divergent views could act as “bigger influencers”.

“The invitation to Opposition party leaders to attend the consecration ceremony seems to have set the proverbial cat among the pigeons,” said a BJP general secretary, appearing to rejoice that the INDIA bloc leaders had tied themselves in knots over whther to accept the invitation.

This BJP leader said the divisions in the Opposition bloc could sharpen in the run-up to the January 22 consecration ceremony and hoped it would yield political mileage for the party. He said the Opposition leaders, through their statements for and against attending the consecration ceremony, were only helping turn the Ram temple into a strong poll plank.

The Congress has so far not made any official declaration about attending the
Ayodhya event, appearing to be caught in a bind, while other partners of the INDIA bloc have been speaking in divergent voices.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU, a key INDIA member, has unequivocally said it would attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony but ruling alliance partner RJD remains undecided.

“If invited, we (JDU) will surely go.... The consecration ceremony of Lord Ram is a matter of pride for all Indians and no politics should be done over it since Ram belongs to all and not only the BJP,” JDU general secretary K.C. Tyagi said after the party’s national executive meeting.

With Nitish now elected as JDU chief, he is likely to receive the invitation to the temple opening ceremony. If he goes, it would revive talks of a possible realignment with the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP is desperate to drive a wedge in the ruling Grand Alliance in Bihar. Party insiders believe that the Ram temple could play catalyst in sparking differences between the JDU and the RJD.

In the largest state, Uttar Pradesh, the principal Opposition Samajwadi Party, too, finds itself in a Catch-22 situation. Dimple Yadav, wife of Samajwadi president Akhilesh Yadav, recently said she would certainly go to Ayodhya on January 22 if invited. Akhilesh later sought to sidestep a clear answer.

"Will go (to the temple) whenever God wants me," he said on being asked, amid fears that attending the event could upset the party's Muslim vote base.

On its part, the BJP leadership has drawn up a plan to exploit the Ram temple issue to the hilt. It was discussed during the recent party office-bearers' meeting, attended by Modi.

The plan involves organising free trips for common citizens to Ayodhya for a Ram temple darshan after the January 22 inauguration and using them later to amplify the issue on their return. Party insiders said the target is to ensure that over 2 crore people, picked from key Lok Sabha constituencies, visit Ayodhya before the polls.

Party MPs and MLAs have been asked to get prominent people from every village in their area to undertake the trip to Ayodhya.

During the recent Assembly poll campaign, home minister Amit Shah had at his rallies promised "darshan of Ram Lalla", urging voters to bring in a BJP government and get a free trip to Ayodhya.

In addition to the BJP, other outfits of the wider Sangh Parivar, too, have planned a host of events that will stress how Hindus have sacrificed their lives to see a Ram temple in Ayodhya, the objective being to consolidate the Hindu vote bank.