New Delhi: Even as most elections in the Hindi heartland lead to a debate about the significance of the 'minority vote bank', the Congress party in Manipur and Uttarakhand is willing to play up 'soft Hindutva' card in the ensuing polls.

Significantly, in the coming polls even minority Christian voters too would have high stakes in some key states.

Sources said the Congress high command has given its nod to Manipur unit and especially Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh to play 'soft Hindutva' card to retain Congress "traditional stronghold over Hindu Meiteis" at a time when the BJP is making an all out effort to make penetration into the interiors in the Northeast.

The ruling Congress in Manipur has a strong Meitei leader in the form of incumbent Chief Minister Ibobi Singh, who has lately only polarised Meitei voters in his favour by "bifurcating" the hill districts -- known as strong citadels of Nagas.

Manipur has substantial Naga tribal people, most of them Christians, who are largely perceived to be soft toward the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi chiefly because of the "progress" being made in the Naga peace talks between the Central Government and the militant group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM).

Besides a possible political solution to the long pending Naga insurgency issue, sources said BJP has also tied up with Naga People's Front eyeing the Naga voters.





