news details |
|
|
| BJP stands on shady crossroads of destiny | | |
NIRBHAY JAMMUAL
Jammu, Aug 20: The main Indian opposition party BJP stands on the crossroads of destiny after it expelled a senior party leader, Jaswant Singh, from the organisation. The decision was taken by the party leadership during its conclave in Shimla. The charge is simple and clear. Jaswant has in his book "Jinnah: India-partition-Independence" described Jinnah a great leader who was demonised by India and blamed Sardar Patel, the country's first Home Minister, for having engineered partition of the country. L.K.Advani had over three years ago lost the BJP President's post after he was criticised for having made laudatory reference to MA Jinnah when Advani had visited his Mausoleum in Pakistan.
In fact the disciplinary action, and that too prompt without allowing Jaswant Singh to be heard, clearly indicates two messages. One was that the party leadership was not going to brook dissidence and indiscipline whether committed by even powerful leaders. The need for bridling the dissidents had been felt after the RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat told BJP President, Rajnath Singh, to initiate measures which could tame the activities of the dissidents and shut the voices of dissent.
Hence the dice was cast against Jaswant Singh not only to contain dissidence but to keep in good humour Shiv Sena, led by Bal Thackery, and the VHP who are natural allies of the BJP. The alliance with Shiv Sena could help the BJP to fare well in the not too distant Assembly elections in Maharashttra. The moment the BJP learnt that the leadership of the Shiva Sena, VHP besides Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi wanted Jaswant's head for having blamed Patel for the partition there was no option left for the BJP but to axe Jaswant Singh, who was considered a liberal among the liberals in the party.
Since 2005 the BJP has been passing from one crisis to the other.It was in 2005 that one of the most articulate BJP leader, Umar Bharti, was expelled from the party on charge of anti-BJP activities. Later came the turn of another Chief Minister, Madan Lal Khurana to be out of the party. And this was followed by the expulsion of Kalyan Singh from the Party on charge of being critical of former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpyaee. This way three former Chief Ministers, Uma Bharti, Madan Lal Khurana and Kalyan Singh were shown the door. And after the expulsion of these three stalwarts the BJP could not but face a downhill journey. Thrice it lost the Assembly election in Delhi.No doubt Jaswant Singh does not enjoy as much mass base as Kalyan Singh or Khurana or Umar Bharti enjoyed but his expulsion has, once again, exposed the BJP’s inner political stability and strength. The BJP was formed in 1980 after internal differences in the Janata Party of which the Jana Sangh was the major constituent .These difference surfaced in 1979 resulting in the fall of the saffron brigade led Government in the centre.
Soon after the Lok Sabha elections were out the BJP leaders have been seen indulging in mudslinging, one blaming the other for the defeat. Well it is strange that the party that tasted power only twice in the centre, that too for a brief period, has not been able to digest its defeat in 2009 Lok Sabha poll. The election results have left the mighty BJP in disarray. In the midst of confusion in the party high command the state units have started taking liber ties with the party bosses in Delhi. whenever the party high command directs the state unit leaders to close their ranks it has no impact indicating that the state unit leaders have stopped treating the bosses in the centre seriously. It has taken more than a week for the party high command to bridle thes ulking Vasdhara Raje, leader of the opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, and Arun Shourie, a former central Minister. It depends on the internal events in the party to determine whether by expelling
Jaswant Singh the party has buried deep the signs dissent or it is going to result in bigger trouble.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
