news details |
|
|
| What ails BJP? | | |
By Yash Bhasin
BJP’s defeat in the 2009 general elections in the country has set in motion an acrimonious debate over the reasons for its rejection by the electorates as well as its future role and need for its reorientation. Some naive to the roots and history of BJP have even suggested virtual political wing of the RSS to severe its ties with the latter and choose a course independent of mother organization. Some others including some senior leaders of the party besides some outsider advisor and sympathizers have suggested that the party should shed the burden of Hindutava over its shoulders and become all inclusive, reaching to the minorities particularly the Muslims whose distrust of the BJP and standing solidly behind its principal rival and winning horse, the Congress has led to the defeat of the saffron party, with Congress making inroads into some of the erstwhile strong holds of BJP in certain states. The BJP’s national executive too has done a cosmetic introspection and analysis of the causes behind its poor performance, much below the high expectations pinned by the party.
The defeat of BJP in the elections is particularly significant taking into consideration conditions prevailing in the country under five year rule of Congress led UPA government. If BJP was a house divided within itself, with factionalism eating into its canker in some states like Delhi, J&K, Rajasthan, Uttarkhand, Jarkhand, UP and Assam, the state of affairs in Congress were no better. Factionalism in the Congress was at its high in J&K, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and many other states, including in the south. Despite tall claims of inflation in check the prices of essentials of daily use were sky rocketing and the poor as well as the middle class were groaning under its impact. The law and order too was not in good shape in many parts of the country, including Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana where Congress was in power as well as in UP and Bengal where the responsibility for the same on the Union government could not be condoned. Terrorism had spread its tentacles in all parts of the country, remaining no more confined to J&K. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda were knocking at our door. Besides corruption was rampant in administration and public life. Many Congress leaders and those from its alliance partners were involved in big scams. Thus the conditions were quite conducive for the BJP to highlight these failings to beat the incumbent Congress led UPA government with. Yet if the BJP failed to turn the tied in its favour, the reason for the same need thorough introspection.
Among the causes for BJP’s defeat has been counted the hate speech by Varun Gandhi in Pilbhit, which is said to have alarmed the Muslims and awakened them to the danger looming large over their heads if BJP came to power and hence their calculated decision to solidly stand behind the Congress, which alone could checkmate the advance of BJP towards power. While this may be true to some extant, the display of immaturity on the part of young Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, who is credited to be a great contributory in the unexpected performance of Congress in the polls, in showering high praises on the NDA partner and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and of a top leader of the third front conglomerate, former Andhra Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu, amidst elections could adversely affect the Congress prospects in Bihar and Andhra. Particularly in the case of Andhra where Congress was in power, it could be interpreted as censure of the incumbent Congress Chief Minister in the state. But in Andhra the Congress improved its tally.
While the media and BJP’s rival in politics have projected a very gloomy future for the saffron party with some even writing its obituary. But the BJP which has suffered much more reverses in the past, has the capacity to rejuvenate and bounce back, provided it takes corrective measures and does thorough heart searching to find the reason for its rejection by the people in the country. The cosmetic analysis and cursory introspection will be tantamount to adopting ostrich like attitude. The redeeming faction for the BJP is that most of those who have found fault with its policies, programs priorities and have expressed concern over its set back do acknowledge the need for strengthening the party to emerge as a viable alternative to the Congress, the main characteristic of which is dynastic hierarchy or as an effective opposition to the ruling alliance, to provide checks and balances.
To my mind, BJP has suffered set back because of the party becoming a B team of Congress in its character and functioning. In party’s metaphoric rise as a part of Janta Party in 1977 with some Jan Sangh leaders, including those drawn from the RSS rank in some states becoming Chief Ministers and Ministers as well as getting inducted into the Union Council of Ministers, power started corrupting them. Factionalism entered into its ranks, with race for share in power among individuals as a means to serve their material fortunes. The six year rule of BJP led NDA in the centre witnessed corruption and infighting among party men getting intensified. In this respect BJP became the second Congress. While the people of India can not expect better from Congress, they had pinned high hopes on the BJP which claimed to be a party with difference, claiming to cleanse the Augean stables of corrupt practices in the administration and in public life. A good number of BJP leaders in the states and centre are involved in financial scandals and scams.
Further the party emulated Congress in giving preference to those with high financial resources and money power whether in the matter of allotting party tickets in election or giving ministerial berths and even in giving party posts. The dedicated and ideologically committed workers were ignored, while opportunists and career seekers in public life overpowered the party pushing to the wall and sidelining the honest and dedicated party cadre. Even in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections BJP’s chose some allies as RLD in Haryana led by a notorious corrupt leader, Om Prakash Chotala and traditional opportunist like Ajit Singh UP.
The track record of six year BJP led NDA rule in the centre has not left a healthier of its performance than that of Congress either in the field of tackling terrorism or in diplomacy, particularly in dealing with Pakistan. The main plank of BJP in elections against the Congress led UPA government of its weak kneed policy towards terrorism sponsored by Pakistan was blunted by the tough stand taken bye the UPA government against Pakistan in the wake of 26/11 Mumbai terrorist strikes, suspending all the ongoing dialogues with that country. If BJP could count several failings on the part of UPA government in checking the menace of terrorism, particularly that emanating from Pakistan side, the Congress could easily turn the table against it by reminding of terrorists attack on Parliament, Red Fort, Kalu Chak, Raghunath Temple in Jammu and many other places in the country during the NDA government. The national shame in the form of surrender by the BJP led NDA government before hijackers of Indian Airlines flight to Kandhar and a top BJP leader as Foreign Minister of the country Jaswant Singh escorting some hardcore terrorists releasing from Indian jails to swap for the hijacked plane passengers at Kandhar, haunted the BJP and will go on haunting it for all times to come.
The tragedy is that the RSS leaders who are supposed to exercise some moral control over at least RSS men inducted in the BJP, have in many cases themselves succumbed to the temptation to indulge in corrupt practices and share loaves and fishes of power. Many RSS leaders even at the national level have got favours for their kith and kin and relatives from the BJP governments in the states and ministers in the NDA governments in the states and in the centre. By taking favours from the BJP ministers in the states and the centre, the RSS leaders lost the moral authority to exercise any restrain and control over the corrupt BJP leaders in power.
Of course all these draw backs are not less profound in the Congress. But the Congress has never boasted of standing on high moral pedestal and people have not much expectations from that party. To replace Congress, BJP must appear different and superior to the oldest political party which has ruled the country for most of the time during last 62 years and which spearheaded the country’s struggle for freedom.
The RSS instead of interfering in day to day affairs of the BJP and giving preference for individuals to be accommodated at key posts in the party and its governments should keep itself confined to exercising moral control on BJP leaders.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
