Celebrations started in the Congress headquarters at Delhi as the party shot past the halfway mark in Karnataka by mid-morning leads today. A number of Congress workers were seen dressed as Bajrang Bali Hanuman, in a pointed jibe at the BJP and the right wing. The ruling party in Karnataka is trailing the Congress by 30-plus seats.

“Bajrang Bali BJP ke nahi Congress ke sath hain… Bajrang Bali ne BJP par fine lagaya hai (Lord Bajrang Bali is with the Congress. He has levied a fine on the BJP,” said one of the workers prancing around in a Hanuman costume.

The choice of garb is a reminder of the huge political controversy over the Congress promise of banning right wing groups like the Bajrang Dal “spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste or religion”.

“We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and Organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities,” the manifesto had said.

It had also named the Bajrang Dal, often linked with vigilantism, violence and moral policing, equating it with the banned Islamic group Popular Front of India (PFI).

“We believe that law and Constitution are sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such organisations,” the manifesto read.

As vociferous protests started from the BJP camp, the Congress had backtracked, several of its leaders saying there is no plan to ban the Bajrang Dal.

But the BJP had converted the row into an election issue. Many of its leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accused the Congress of insulting Lord Hanuman.

The Congress has decided “to lock up” Bajrang Bali devotees, said PM Modi, and urged voters to chant ‘Jai Bajrangbali’ and punish those who “abuse culture”.