The country is witnessing a sordid drama for the last few days, which began with the BJP meet at Goa. The eulogizing of Modi by several leaders honed the tone for an urgent anointment of Narendra Modi as the top leader of the party. The delay in the announcement resulted in a so called ‘Narendra Modi army’ protesting in front of the house of party’s senior leader LK Advani. Such protests, while are only too common amongst the different factions of the ruling congress party, it was unheard of in a regimented party like BJP. Rajnath Singh lost no time in announcing Modi as the top leader to lead the 2014 polls. Things seemed to be normal with a sulking Advani and few of his supporters staying away.
The drama reached its next scene with Advanii quitting from posts that he held in BJP, thus revealing that neither he, nor his party was as disciplined as once thought to be, and were susceptible to emotions like disappointment and anger, not usual in leaders of his stature.
Advani ji cannot disown his age to lead from the front any longer, for a country of youth. He should have taken the changes in the party he founded by his stride and should have given his blessings, and continue to offer advice to the younger leaders. The nation feels betrayed, because, a strong opposition is also a pillar of governance and the infighting has belied the hope of millions of citizens, who are merely watchers and do not support either the Congress of BJP party. Even if the BJP leaders smilingly appear for a photo shoot in the coming days, the deep scar from within would not remain invisible to any discerning citizen.
Rajnath Singh too, in his capacity as the leader, has failed as he did not read the pulse of several leaders of his party and was too speedy in his announcement of Modi’s name to the top slot. The NDA Allies, who were sitting on the fence until now (save Nitish Kumar) have also come out openly siding with Advani ji, complicating the matter further, perhaps eyeing for a greater pie in the NDA government, if it is able to muster a majority at all.
Modi, today, is one of the most important and proven leaders of the party, but carries a stigma of his role in the Gujarat riots, which India may find difficult to forget. Congress party, neck deep in a variety of scams and the likes of Digvijaya Singh should be having a hearty laugh at the discomfiture of the largest alternative to the present government.
Let us wait and see if Advani relents, or Modi’s chariot bulldozes its way in carrying the party ahead dusting off the present imbroglio.