Assemanand acquittal will be BJP's key poll plank in Karnataka

The BJP is set to make the acquittals of Swami Aseemanand and four other accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case a key plank in its campaign in Karnataka as it seeks to target the Congress over the party's attempts to "defame" Hindus in terror cases.

BJP president Amit Shah will be in the state for two days from tomorrow to give a boost to the party's campaign.

A top party leader told reporters here that the issue of so-called "saffron terror" would feature prominently in its campaign against the Congress, which is in power in the state.

"It is unfortunate and shameful that the Congress tried to defame the Hindus, the one-lakh-year-old civilisation in the name of saffron terror," a top BJP leader said on condition of anonymity.

The party leaders further said that the Congress cannot run away from their crime of humiliating Hindus and it will be their key poll plank in the upcoming Karnataka assembly election.

The party chief Shah will be on a two-day trip to the southern state starting tomorrow, during which he will attend a number of meetings with party workers and hold consultation with intellectuals to seek their views on the party's manifesto for upcoming assembly polls in the state.

Shah is scheduled to attend the convention of the party's booth committees of 28 assembly seats in Bengaluru tomorrow, which will be followed by meetings with the party's office-bearers from these seats, the party said in a statement.

Shah will visit the homes of two intellectuals in Bengulru to seek their views on the party's manifesto for the upcoming assembly polls.

Later, he will also take part in the party's road show in Hosakote in Bengaluru.

On the second day of his tour, he will meet party workers and leaders from the state. He will also meet industrialists and traders from the state to discuss various issues with them.