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Arun Jaitley, the articulate and aggressive general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is a tireless defender of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

In the run-up to the crucial assembly election in the state, Jaitley told Senior Editor Sheela Bhatt that the BJP's support for Modi will prove right in Gujarat.

Many believe the BJP's future is linked to the Gujarat election.

I do not think so. No one election can decide the future of a political party. Political parties survive beyond elections. This election has acquired a very important position. It certainly is very important for the BJP. Every election is. This one is a little more important because we have lost a number of elections with the exception of Goa. So we are looking forward to win this election.

At the same time for Gujarat and Gujaratis this is the most important election --- for the simple reason that not only in India but abroad, a horrible campaign has been carried out against the state, its people and its political leadership.

Words that have no bearing to reality have been used. I think it is for the people of Gujarat to decide what kind of a government they want. I think this election is really a decisive moment for the people of Gujarat.

Many feel the intense violence in February, March, and April has divided Gujarati society. And that this election will be a vote for or against the basic philosophy of the Sangh Parivar on the issue of Hindu and Muslim relations.

I don't think that is correct.

Whether Muslims can live peacefully in India or not?

No. I think Muslims will have to live peacefully in India as any other citizen. Hindus too have to live peacefully. I think there is no alternative except to live peacefully. I don't think the issue in the Gujarat election is whether the Hindus and Muslims can live peacefully in India or not. I think the important issue is that certain unfortunate instances have taken place in Godhra and afterwards during the riots.

The campaign has been going on that the state did not take sufficient steps to control the situation. That certainly is going to be an issue our opponents will make out. We are going to point out the facts and figures as to how the state took adequate steps.

The other important issue will be the way our opponents adopted a complete double standard over the violence that took place. Violence of both kinds is highly condemnable, but you have a large number of political views that wanted to view one kind of violence as unfortunate and started rationalising and giving explanations for the other kind. That itself has generated a strong opinion against this double standard.

What are the BJP's own issues in Gujarat?

The BJP has a very large political base in the state. We have a leadership that is very popular and has a clean image. The government had an occasion to perform in the last five years. We have a large number of talking points like water, growth rates and the Narmada dam issue.

Another important issue is certainly the terrorism after the Akshardham incident. It will be a focal point of the election.

It is interesting to note that the national BJP is talking of development and other issues too with reference to Gujarat, but Chief Minister Narendra Modi is conducting his yatras where his Muslim bashing has been well reported.

I don't think his speeches are 'Muslim-bashing'. He has certainly spoken about President Musharraf. In most of the speeches, several development issues are also referred to. I normally don't find the report on development issues raised by Modi because they don't make news. Development issues are normally understated in the media.

Is it that the BJP national body is shy of saying that the party is going for 'Hindutva votes' in Gujarat? Modi doesn't seem shy of it.

On this issue there is no difference between the national BJP and the state BJP. Certainly one of the key issues of the election will be what has happened in the last six to eight months in Gujarat. When our critics refer [to it], obviously we respond and make our point of view heard on the Hindutva issue. That does not mean that's going to be the only issue of the Gujarat election.

Many senior party colleagues feel this election is not going to be an easy one for the BJP. What's your assessment?

We hope to win and we hope to win comfortably, but no election is ever a walkover.

But Modi displays much more confidence.

The real results will be known to you after the election, but we are very confident and don't compel us to sound immodest.

You have said many times that the BJP has an edge over the Congress in Gujarat. Can you give us some logic for your claim?

The Congress in Gujarat is in absolute disarray. They don't know how to slot themselves.

Is this election also a vote for or against Modi?

These are [phrases] what you are using. I am not going to fall into the trap.

I would say several factors have influenced his personality. He certainly is a dynamic administrator, a good organiser. He has creative ideas about politics and governance. He has absolute integrity. He is almost tireless. He towers over every other leader of Gujarat today in terms of popularity. He has surcharged the party. He is very, very creative about these things. During the course of the riots and during his yatra, few of his statements came out and the campaign went on. Outside Gujarat, a large number of people are for him and against him since then.

In that sense, he has invited strong likes and dislikes for himself. There are very few people who are neutral about Modi.

But people feel there is blood on his garments. That is why this election is important.

Whether few feel that or many feel that, let the people of Gujarat decide.

Has the BJP put all its eggs in Modi's basket?

I don't think that's a correct statement. National leaders are involved and state leaders have a say in the decisions. It's not true that the party is dependent on one person. I do not think Modi himself has that impression either.

Will it be a Modi versus Shankersinh Vaghela campaign or a Modi versus Sonia Gandhi campaign?

It will be a Congress versus BJP campaign, which is being lead by Modi.

What are the strengths of the Congress in Gujarat?

The Congress is an old and traditional political party. But its vote base has substantially eroded. They have a leadership vacuum. They discarded old traditional leaders to get in somebody like Shankersinh Vaghela to provide some impetus. But in the last three months, the facts don't show that.

But he knows the tricks of the BJP trade.

He knows the tricks of the BJP trade, but those tricks may not fit into the business of the Congress.

Like?

Like, take the recent event. He went to the USA and claimed to be Shakerullah Khan. He puts posters in Gujarat stating: Who cares for Hindus? Congress. Now a campaign of this kind can land the Congress in a far greater problem than it already is in.

But the Congress is getting a sizable crowd at its meetings.

If they were really getting a sizable crowd, then the Congress would not have worked so hard to postpone the election in Gujarat.

Can you help us understand the Gujarati voter's psyche. Who will vote for the BJP, particularly when there are doubtful claims and assessment of your development works?

My assessment of Gujarat is that Gujarat is probably one of the most powerful civil societies in the country. My strong and favourable assessment of Gujarat emerged when an earthquake took place and the entire civil society worked together for the victims.

Secondly, Gujaratis feel strongly about certain national issues. That is why they reacted very strongly after Godhra. As far as violence is concerned, which took place subsequent to Godhra, I hope that such incidents remain an aberration.

Caste sammelans [meetings] have shown how deep the divide is within your party.

I don't share your assessment. The election results will show you how united we are.

The Rediff Interviews

The Gujarat riots: Complete coverage
The Gujarat Elections 2002