Rafale deal vs nationalism: The big Congress-BJP fight ahead of 2019

New Delhi, Oct 1: The Congress has upped the ante and the BJP has decided to counter it. In the days to come one would get to witness a Rafale vs NRC and surgical strike debate between the Congress and the BJP.

The BJP has decided to build its campaign around nationalism and would highlight its policy on security as well as illegal immigration. The Congress has been fighting the BJP on economic issues and most recent the Rafale deal.

The second anniversary of the surgical strikes saw BJP leaders speaking about its tough security policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too said on Sunday that the jawan would not sit quiet anymore. We want peace, but not at the cost of self respect the PM also said.

The BJP chief on the other hand has constantly spoken about the issue of illegal immigrants and also the importance of the NRC. He said that this issue would not be restricted to Assam alone, but the government would identity illegal immigrants across the country.

The issue relating to illegal immigration would not just help the BJP in Assam, but in all such states where the problem is critical. The other issue that the BJP has raked up is regarding those activists, who were arrested on the allegation that they were sympathetic towards the naxalites.

BJP sources tell OneIndia that the big push ahead of 2019 would be national security. This would be a key issue and all leaders would highlight the steps taken by the government to tackle the issue. Pakistan, the NRC, Maoism and illegal immigration would be the key issues that the BJP would highlight ahead of the big 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the source also added.