New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS): With a feeling that the Shaheen Bagh protest against the CAA could be a turning point in the February 8 Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP has turned the issue into a "nationalist vs anti-national" one, party sources said.

The party is forging its poll strategy around the controversial issue, with the BJP now convinced that clarity on the matter would be quite visible by February 5.

"We had understood the intentions behind the Shaheen Bagh protest since leaders of the Congress, the Left, students of Jawaharlal Nehru University, and others were making a beeline for the protest site," said a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader.

Requesting anonymity, the leader said the party leadership then decided to adopt a wait-and-watch strategy. "Some party leaders were directed to issue statements in reaction to the stand of opposition leaders. Seeing the effect these statements had, the party then chalked out a solid strategy on the issue."

BJP leaders have claimed that the party has succeeded in giving out a message to the public that the Shaheen Bagh protest is being spearheaded by those who do not recognise the law made by the country's Parliament.