New Delhi, March 10
The BJP appears to be looking beyond the conventional Ram Mandir issue to widen its scope among Hindu voters. Its views on pathetic condition of India's rivers, particularly the Ganga and the Yamuna, and the controversial Sethusamudram project, are expected to echo in the party's election manifesto for the 2014 General Election, sources say.

Party president Rajnath Singh, at the party's three-day mega event in the Capital, had termed Ramsetu "an integral part of not only of Indian culture and dharma but the very existence of India". "We will not allow the demolition of Shri Ramsetu at any cost. Because it is an issue related to the faith of crores of Hindus. We will declare Shri Ramsetu a national memorial and will try to get it declared a World Heritage by the UNO," he had said. On Friday, Rajnath Singh and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj also met Yamuna activists, assuring them all support.

Over the next few days, the saffron party is expected to target the Congress party's "lack of commitment" in maintaining free and clean flow of the Ganga and the Yamuna with more force in Parliament. Yamuna's pathetic condition and the money gone down the drain will also be used to target the Sheila Dikshit government in the Delhi state elections.

The reason the party believes it has a winner in the Ramsethu issue is because it has the potential to cater to the Hindutva line without offending allies like JD (U) and Nitish Kumar, like perhaps the Ram Mandir issue. Besides, potential ally, the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu-is also opposing the project, while its opponent DMK- a UPA constituent, is pressuring the Centre to go ahead with the project. Moreover, the Sethusamudram shipping channel project is facing protests from not just the political parties and Hindu religious groups but also environmentalists.