Unidentified gunmen yesterday shot and wounded a prominent Hindu extremist leader in western India's politically volatile Gujarat state. Rival parties are entangled in a bitter campaign ahead of voting next week to elect a new state legislature.
Police said two motorcyclists in Ahmedabad fired at Mr Jaideep Patel, of the World Hindu Council blamed for the three-month pogrom of Muslims across Gujarat earlier this year.
More than 1,000 people died in the rioting that erupted a day after a train-load of Hindu activists were burned by a Muslim mob in February.
The wounds of Mr Patel were reported to be not life-threatening.
The World Hindu Council is ideologically close to the Bhartiya Janata Party of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. The BJP also rules Gujarat and is locked in a struggle with the Congress party to retain control of the state in the December 12th elections.
Political analysts said the shooting of Mr Patel would strengthen the BJP's electoral campaign. "The BJP will project the attack on Patel as an assault by Muslim terrorists on Hindus," said independent deputy and human rights activist Mr Kuldip Nayar.
The opposition leader, Ms Sonia Gandhi, has accused the BJP of playing the sectarian card: "To divert attention from real issues, BJP leaders are raising such issues," she told a crowd of more than 7,000 Hindus and Muslims at an election rally.
In contrast, Gujarat's BJP chief minister Mr Narendra Modi has told Hindus he needs to remain in power to control the Muslim population, which constitutes about 12 per cent of the state's 32.8 million voters.
Winning Gujarat is vital for the 24-party BJP-led coalition that has lost control of all but four of India's 29 states since assuming federal power in 1998. Congress has gained and now governs 16 states.