New Delhi: Reeling under the impact of BJP sweep in Gujarat, Opposition today dubbed the saffron party's victory as a result of "fear and terror" generated by the party and cautioned that the growing threat of communal forces were to be fought by secular parties "more seriously".
The Congress and Left parties attributed the BJP's victory to the "communal card played by it" after the Godhra massacre and violence across the state but felt the party cannot repeat the Gujarat formula of polarisation in other parts of the country.
AICC General Secretary in-charge of Gujarat Kamal Nath said BJP campaigned for generating fear to divide people on communal lines which led to the defeat of his party.
However, he said the Congress message of peace and development was well received by the people of Gujarat as shown by the higher percentage of votes gained by the party.
He also dismissed speculation that BJP could repeat its "Gujarat formula of dividing people on communal lines" in the rest of the country.
Terming the results as a "warning of growing threats of communal forces", CPI-M Polit Bureau Member Prakash Karat said these should be fought by "secular forces more seriously".
CPI National Secretary D Raja described it as a "setback to secular democratic forces" and said the social fabric "polarised" by the Sangh Parivar outfits had led to such an electoral outcome.
Raja said other issues such as poverty, hunger and unemployment should also get adequate attention in the coming days.
RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav, who campaigned for Congress in the state, described the BJP win as "unfortunate" for the country as it had won the elections by "engineering riots and fomenting communal passion."
However, he said it would not have any impact on states going to polls next year.
Lok Janshakti leader Ram Vilas Paswan, who also campaigned for Congress, accused the BJP of playing the "communal card" in Gujarat elections for its victory and regretted it was getting support on such a dangerous issue.
"The BJP had no issue except hard communalism and hard Hinduvta. They strongly played this and also got support from the Centre which we have earlier said," he said.
