Mumbai : Ahead of assembly elections in Maharashtra, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on September 9 said it is distancing itself from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for having "failed to serve the cause of Hindus and Hindutva".

VHP international president Ashok Singhal said that the BJP had suffered reverses in the May 2009 Lok Sabha elections because it did not do justice to the cause of Hindutva. "If they continue in the same vein, they will face the same consequences (in assembly polls)," Singhal told reporters. He said that VHP has an 11-point charter, which includes construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, saving the Ganga river and protection of cows. But none of the BJP candidates ever mentions these issues in their election campaign.

"Now, we are seeing their plight," he said. When asked whether the BJP needed a change in leadership, Singhal pointed out that it was an internal issue of the party and he was neither associated with it nor was he speaking on its behalf. "However, as far as the elections are concerned, the Hindus would support those parties which will serve our 11-point charter. We are not a political party, but we need a party which can save Hindus from Islamic jihad," he remarked.