Electoral politics is even significantly more about perception. Even though there’s been no tornado, Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.Of course, pitting a candidate like Pragya Singh Thakur against a well-identified ‘secular fundamentalist’ like ‘Rahul ka Guruji’ Digvijaya Singh makes sense. It provides the voters of Bhopal with a clear choice: will you choose a Hindutva candidate or an anti-Hindutva candidate? As opposed to a choice between a capable and incapable MP, or even between ‘Modi’s candidate’ and an ‘anti-Modi’ one. Never mind ‘the party with a difference’s’ thoughts about the need to field candidates who are, like Caesar’s wife, above suspicion.

Source: Economic Times April 19, 2019 11:48 UTC