Desperate to enrol influential Muslims into its fold, the BJP has been reportedly approaching Muslim Congressmen and other political and religious leaders to join the party. Some of them were also handed out carrots in terms of plum posts of chairpersons of boards which have several perks attached, while others were reportedly offered lucrative benefits. However, most Muslim leaders have reportedly declined the offer realising that they had only 'trophy value' for Chief Minister Narendra Modi that would last till the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

One of the politicians approached by the party said that he was not against the BJP. According to him, the BJP "just wanted to use him for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections to promote the image of Modi at the national and global level".

"The 2002 riots were a double-edged sword for Modi  it brought him to the centre stage of national politics and it is now a stumbling block for his acceptance for a larger role in national politics. Modi wants to show to the world that Gujarati Muslims, despite the 2002 riots during his regime, are with him and hence, the allegations of his detractors are baseless," said a senior politician. "But my joining the BJP will kill my political career as I will lose credibility among my constituents," he added.

Another politician from Vadodara said, "See what happened to Najma Heptullah after joining the BJP or Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi, former rector of Darul Uloom Deoband who praised Modi. While Heptullah is nowhere to be seen, Vastanvi lost his credibility."

A prominent religious leader from Vadodara when approached by the BJP reportedly told the mediator that he could not join the party but could "pray for it".BJP leaders were also reported to have met prominent political and apolitical faces in South Gujarat and Saurashtra, only to be politely turned down. "We know that we are wanted only to help the party in 2014 general elections and we will be dumped afterwards, no matter what the results are," they said.

... contd.

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