The event had all the accoutrements of a typical Bollywood night: a giant replica of the Red Fort, seven metallic horses pulling the podium, fountains, fireworks and laser shows. When Modi emerged on the stage, perched on a hydraulically powered lotus, the crowds went into raptures. His full scale attack on the Congress was peppered with his famous references to "Mian Musharraf" and "Italy ki beti". Says Gopinath Munde, former deputy chief minister: "We are going to repeat the Gujarat pattern in Maharashtra."

LEAD ROLE: The event had the trappings of a Bollywood night with Modi at the helm

Ideologically, Modi used the occasion to open a new front against the secular lobby on its old argument that Hindutva is anti-development. Modi gave a series of examples to prove that there was no contradiction between Hindutva and development because "Hindutva incorporates overall development". The entire speech was calculated to put the Congress on the defensive on the issue of Hindutva in the wake of the coming assembly polls in Congress-ruled states. "Hindutva is thousands of years old. It is the lifeline of this nation. Congress can defeat the BJP but not Hindutva because it is ajay (unconquerable)," said Modi.

Party sources say, among the states going to the polls, Modi is particularly keen on campaigning in Madhya Pradesh where Chief Minister Digvijay Singh is in his uninterrupted 10th year in office. Among all Congress chief ministers, he is seen as a heavyweight in his own right. Modi knows a battle against a leader of the stature of Digvijay would reap special political benefits for him outside Gujarat. Besides, the anti-conversion law which he is contemplating is expected to have an impact on the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh bordering Gujarat, where the work of Christian missionaries has raised the hackles of the saffron brotherhood. Also, Modi has an excellent equation with Uma Bharati, possibly the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Madhya Pradesh. He would also like to campaign in parts of Rajasthan bordering Gujarat.

In many ways, Shivaji Park last week was the test marketing of Modi to gauge his appeal beyond Gujarat. Going by the response he evoked in Mumbai, it seems the average BJP worker in the states due for polls must already be preparing to welcome the Gujarat chief minister despite the fact that Moditva is sending chills down the spines of some senior party leaders.

— Uday Mahurkar and Sheela Raval

Sitting Pretty Their governance may leave much to be desired, but they have the connections to cling to power
	ASHOK GEHLOT Rajasthan Despite bypoll reverses and starvation deaths he continues in office because of his proximity to Ambika Soni.		SHEILA DIKSHIT Delhi Has ruffled the feathers of many in the Delhi Pradesh Congress but enjoys the confidence of Sonia.
	AJIT JOGI Chhattisgarh The Congress' tribal trump card shares a special rapport with Sonia. The party's state unit works in tandem with the Government.		DIGVIJAY SINGH Madhya Pradesh Has already set a record of sorts by being in office for 10 years. Having fought incumbency once, he may be second time lucky too.