By fielding Sadhvi Pragya Singh for Bhopal, is BJP showing signs of desperation?

New Delhi, Apr 20: The BJP's decision to field Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from Bhopal is a risky one and can backfire. Sadhvi Thakur is facing trial for her alleged role in Malegaon blast and facing charges ranging from murder to criminal conspiracy. She is seen an extremist Hindutva leader and many Congress leaders have in the past linked her to what is called as 'Saffron terror', a term which the BJP accuses the Congress of coining. While in 2014, the BJP's main election plank was development, this time it is more around nationalism with hues of Hindutva. Hindutva and Ram Temple issue are part of BJP's core ideology. The BJP's thumping win in 2014 was becasue all sections of the society backed Modi's development driven campaign. At that time, the BJP chose to project itself as a liberal party and gave less importance to its core right wing agenda. By fileding Pragya, it may seem to many that the BJP is deliberately trying to polarise the elections. It may send across a wrong message to to many secular and liberal voters who chose Modi in 2014 for progressiveness.

What is your say on the entire matter? Do you feel that resorting to polarisation shows BJP's desperation? Has the development taken a back seat? Or is the BJP trying to saffronise nationalism?

Please express your views below.