news details |
|
|
| BJP's dilemma | | In search of a winning formula | |
By Sunita Vakil
The fact that the BJP leaders are desperately hunting for issues to wrest power at the national level indicates that the party is still in identity crisis.
With crucial Lok Sabha elections just round the corner, the old chestnuts have resurfaced and the BJP is back to election speak. So what if its leaders are in search of a new identity but are not sure of what it should be ? For, it is now fairly established that the BJP doesn't know which issues to focus on for the impending elections. The party seems to be riddled with confusion because there is no clear line as well as lacks any positive agenda. On one side, it rakes up the temple issue by invoking the name of Lord Ram to appeal to the electorate on the other hand it shifts focus to popular needs in search of an attractive plank to raise its tally of seats in the coming elections. The BJP's dilemma is quite obvious from the frequent swings of its leaders from Hindutva to development. They have been unable to come to grips with the stark reality and factor in the prevailing public mood for coming up with a winning formula. This does not come as a surprise from a party for which confusion itself is a strategy.
Even as the Nagpur conclave was meant to showcase a party on the threshold of wresting the initiative from its rival, the Congress led UPA, instead it revealed fissiparous tendencies rampant in its rank and file. The unmistakable signals that the BJP meet emitted betrayed cross purposes among its leaders. It is a known fact that within the BJP factional battles often come disguised as debates on core ideology. Also, the fact that the party has been a divided house between its President Mr. Rajnath Singh and its Prime Ministerial candidate Mr L K Advani needs no reiteration. Indeed, it was this picture of internal chaos that the party projected at Nagpur with both leaders holding different viewpoints on the Ram Temple, which is slated to be used in a big way as an electoral gimmick to hoodwink people. The conclave once again proved that beneath the veneer of unity, there were simmering differences between individuals and issues. For instance, Rajnath Singh continued to harp on the temple issue to get back at Mr Advani and his coteries knowing fully well that it does not go down well with the party's key allies. It was infact prompted by his desire to keep the RSS happy as well as to usurp the place vacated by Kalyan Singh. Mr Advani on the other hand feels that the Hindutva card has run out of steam and will have no resonance in the wake of current global slowdown. Main allies of the BJP like JD(U) have already indicated that they may not support its Hindutva agenda. For the same reason, main supporters of Mr Advani like Shivraj Singh Chauhan have clearly shifted focus towards growth and development. Therefore, a platform that could be used to fine tune the party's strategy for a convincing formula to win the polls has instead brought the utter confusion in its ranks to the fore.
By bringing the Ram temple issue again to the fore the BJP is exposing its helplessness and lack of visionary leadership in its ranks. That the party has thought it prudent to give priority to the contentious issue in its first pre-election conclave in Nagpur yet again shows the bankruptcy of issues and ideology in the party.
Infact, the revival of Hindutva does not come as a surprise . It is an open secret that come election time, it becomes mandatory for the BJP to revert back to the Ram Temple issue notwithstanding the fact that it did nothing about the temple during its six and half years in power. It is true that the party came to power on the temple promise in 1999. But it is also true that the emergence of BJP as a national party in the late eighties had much to do with the decline of Congress due to some blunders like Shah Bano case as well as its inability to address the concerns of the middle class. This provided ample space for the BJP to blaze forth towards a hard Hindutva agenda. But the same Hindutva that was a potent weapon in the 1980's cannot be used again. This was amply demonstrated by the results of Uttar Pradesh elections where the party suffered a severe drubbing. Whatever doubts remained over the BJP's oft repeated slogans were cleared by the Gujarat assembly elections where focus was clearly on development. The state Assembly elections in five states last December should also have been taken as a wake up call by the opposition party. While it won by a thumping majority in MP and Chhatisgarh by focusing on economic performance, the party muffled up its chances in Delhi and Rajasthan by stressing on negative campaigning. The message is loud and clear. The party needs to come out of the ideological splendour of its past. Else, it stands the risk of facing political oblivion.
The recent meeting of the BJP's National Executive also failed to provide a clear cut prescription for improving its poll prospects. It simply reflected the despair of defeated minds which cannot see the writing on the wall. Using the name of Lord Ram for electoral gains to the exclusion of other pressing issues is nothing more than selling old wine in a new bottle. In a country where hunger has topped the world chart and millions are homeless, the promise of a Ram temple will not eradicate poverty, illiteracy and unemployment .
It should come to grips with the fact that voters only want development oriented politics and evolve a winning formula based on that agenda only. Notwithstanding the high sounding slogan of "change at the Centre" the BJP did not offer any new ideas to address the mounting national challenges. It is disconcerting to note that while L. K. Advani thought it fit to invoke the name of Ram by saying "We never left Ram", a belligerent Rajnath Singh claimed legacy to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. Despite earlier indications that Mr Advani was trying to project himself in a secular mould, in Nagpur his mantle slipped when he returned to the earlier rhetoric. It is really unfortunate that the party hopes of pining down UPA by treading on the beaten track. Such illusions continue to haunt the party leadership despite the fact that party lost momentum in 2004 also due to such politically uninspiring posturing. It is high time the BJP asks itself whether such issues like the Ram temple and Gandhian Socialism will attract many voters.
Even the party leaders are admitting that the BJP has failed to fulfil its role as a principle opposition party. There is a growing perception that they are incapable of challenging the government on a myriad of issues riling the nation like stalled economic reforms, unsatisfactory development, rapidly spiralling prices and growing terror attacks. The BJP has utterly failed to accoust the UPA regarding threat to our national security, suicide by farmers and deteriorating condition of Kashmiri Pandits who have been living as refugees in their own country. Besides failing to provide a formidable opposition, the party has not offered any alternative progressive agenda. It has also not revealed its social programme for the uplift of masses. The party's prime ministerial candidate keeps on harping that his party is a secular one, but is not averse to mixing politics with religion.
With the bigwigs of NDA reluctant to return to the party fold, the BJP is today reduced to persue smaller parties like AGP and NLD, who too are demanding their pound of flesh. With its cup full of woes, there seems to be no optimism for the party's poll prospects.
Besides decline in its national popularity, it is being held to ransom by people like Bairon Singh Shekawat and Kalyan Singh.
It will be therefore in BJP's own interest to sell the dream of a "Ram Rajya" than a Ram Mandir in the coming elections.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
