BJP National Executive to deliberate on Mathura clash

With Uttar Pradesh polls on its mind, the Mathura violence issue is likely to figure prominently in next week's BJP National Executive deliberations in Allahabad as it seeks to use law and order as a major political plank against the ruling Samajwadi Party.
The party will cite the Mathura incident as yet another example of poor law and order condition to target the Samajwadi Party, a source said, adding that "lawlessness" is the top plank against the ruling SP, which BJP chief Amit Shah has declared as its main rival.
"When the party's executive members are meeting in Allahabad, not far from a city which has seen such a case of violence, it is likely that the incident will be deliberated," the source said.

As the Mathura incident has come so close to the executive meeting, party sources said it will be a handy weapon against the Akhilesh Yadav government as the saffron party has long been targeting it over the law and order issue.
Wary that BSP supremo Mayawati is also using the clash to score over SP, more so as law and order is seen as her strength, BJP top brass led by Shah has launched a relentless attack on the government in an attempt to portray it as the main alternative.
In the executive, it will also paint BSP as an "ally" of Congress, citing its support to the latter in recent Rajya Sabha polls in some states and earlier in Uttarakhand during the floor test of the Harish Rawat government.

Sources said the party will also use SP's and BSP's support to the UPA government earlier to bracket them with Congress, hoping to project itself as the best alternative to replace the Yadav government.

BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju also hit out at the ruling Samajwadi Party today accusing it of not being serious about law and order in Uttar Pradesh, days after the Mathura clashes left 29 people dead.
"The UP government is not serious about law and order. It has to be strict, but its intentions were not right. The Ministry of Home Affairs cooperates with the state government and does not discriminate," Rijiju said.

BJP has been out of power from the country's largest state for the last 14 years during which SP and BSP have ruled it by turn.