BJP veterans blogpost declares open the next bout of this war of nerves within the BJP. Currently the advantage is with the wily old BJP leader who knows far better than the Gujarat CM
Old man L K Advani seems to be stirring the hornets nest without even wanting to. The dust arising from the blog predicting a non- Congress, non- BJP Prime Minister in 2014 had barely settled that the ageing politician became the target of Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the very first day of Parliament for suggesting that her government was ” illegitimate.” He withdrew the remarks after she and the Congress refused to accept any explanations, leaving his party colleagues red faced with embarrassment.
The discussion was on the violence in Assam, a somber enough issue for the BJP leader to stay on course. There was no need really for him to stray into a direct confrontation with the Congress, and thereby lose sight of the larger picture. He could have said a lot more about the non- performance of the UPA government had he chosen his words and thoughts with a little more care, as the inaction in Assam, the failure of the intelligence agencies, smacks of state apathy and indifference that has fed the violence. The result was that even in a discussion where the Congress was so clearly on the back foot, Advanis inane remarks gave the advantage to a party that had so much to be apologetic about. And was feeling the pressure until the BJP gave it the escape route.
Advani lit a fire under his party with his recent blogpost where he said that a regional party Prime Minister would come to power after the 2014 elections, supported by either a BJP or a Congressled coalition. He did not take any names but given the fact that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is one of the more credible contenders of the top job, fingers both within and outside the NDA have started pointing towards him. He has now denied the possibility, but then as everyone knows denials in politics mean little.
Advanis blog in fact is far more interesting than the little fracas in Parliament where a gesticulating Sonia Gandhi gave the TRP ratings to the TV channels who stayed on this story through the day. Why did Advani make these almost anti- BJP predictions? One, he was of course stating the obvious. There is no movement towards a third front, there cannot be given the fact that the third coalescing party/ group ( apart from the Congress and the BJP) is the Left Front that is still not in a comeback mode. However, it is almost certain and has been pointed out in these columns before, that the regional parties will get stronger in the next general elections, and the BJP and Congress decidedly weaker. In fact the probability of both these two parties together falling short of a majority is high, and hence the regional party faring well at the polls will be able to throw its hat into the ring and stake claim for the top job, of course with the support of one or the other socalled national party. Advani, thus, was stating the obvious.
But why did he choose to say all this now. The reason for this is more devious, and certainly more Advani like. In effect he has put quite an effective spanner in the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modis efforts to become the BJPs Prime Ministerial candidate. Advani has made it clear what many in the BJP admit privately, that the party is ill placed to win the next general elections. And as such will not be in a position to elect its own Prime Minister from within. And from this arises the conclusion that Modis claim to the post is without foundation, as he will not make it.
The RSS has been projecting Modi but there are serious differences about this within the BJP. Nitish Kumar, a favourite with the BJP, has repeatedly reiterated his refusal to support Modi.
The Gujarat BJP is divided as is the national party on this issue. Modis own ambitions did elicit levels of support from the corporate world, foreign governments and sections within the
