New Delhi: Picking up from what has unfolded in the last three days at public rallies held by Bharatiya Janata Party in poll-bound Haryana, the reading down of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir is the go-to campaign tool which the party aims to harness in order to heighten nationalist sentiments among voters and squeeze electoral dividends.Haryana, along with Jharkhand and Maharashtra, is set for assembly elections later this year.Resonant of how the Balakot strike was skilfully weaponised by BJP’s election strategists to craft a ‘pro-Army versus anti-national’ narrative in the run up to the 2019 general election, the early campaign speeches of BJP brass including Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh have hinted that the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status is part of a well thought-out strategy. Just as the election strategy around Balakot was tailored to be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the one surrounding Article 370 was notably rolled out by the two faces of the government at the helm of internal security and border issues – Union home minister Shah and defence minister Singh respectively. Also read: Balakot and After, or How to Build a Strategic Doctrine for Political GainShah on August 16, set the tone while kicking off the BJP’s election campaign in Jind. While the Central government’s decision was and would be clearly used to seek power again in Haryana, Shah gave voters the ‘bigger’ picture when he said, “The scrapping of Article 370 is a historic decision. Such decisions are taken by those who have no greed for power and a clear vision. I am proud that my leader Narendra Modi has done this for the sake of the country’s integrity.” सबको लगता था कि शायरा बानो ने इतना कुछ सहा, लेकिन क्या फायदा, कौन सरकार फैसला करेगी। मगर इस बार भाजपा की सरकार थी और मोदी जी देश के प्रधानमंत्री।सरकार ने तय किया कि हम इस कुप्रथा को हमेशा के लिए खत्म करेंगे: गृह मंत्री श्री @AmitShah pic.twitter.com/9d52R8vXbg— BJP (@BJP4India) August 18, 2019In his speech, Shah also placed Modi alongside Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and indicated that the prime minister had realised the latter’s “dream of an integrated India”. Repeating an old favourite, Shah told voters that what the Congress could not do in 70 years was done by Modi within 75 days of returning to power. Two days after Shah’s speech, Singh echoed him while addressing a poll rally in Kalka. He, in fact, added another particular factor – Pakistan. This is a ready dividend earner in a state where many youths are serving in the Army and paramilitary forces, and are deployed in the border areas, including in Kashmir.The Thakur leader from Uttar Pradesh reportedly said that after the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, the only issue left to discuss with Pakistan was Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). “Now, if talks are held, they will only be held on the issue of PoK. There will be no talks on any other issue,” he said. This ‘Balakot-isation’ of Article 370 in a state with many youngsters in the security forces has already made leaders in the opposition, like Congress’s Bhupinder Hooda, wary of his party’s official stand of opposing the Modi government’s action. Also read: Congress Leaders Deviate From Party Line on Article 370, Hail Centre’s Move in KashmirOn August 18, addressing a Mahaparivartan rally in his constituency of Rohtak, the former chief minister said there was no compromises when it came to ‘patriotism’ and ‘self-respect’ and that he would support the government when it “does something right”. He, however, did make a feeble attempt to bring the ruling party to task by asking the Manohar Lal Khattar government to “give an account of what (it) did in five years” and not to “hide behind this (Article 370) decision”.