The bjp is compromised. The rss is confused.
The bjp compromises from necessity. Its original agenda brought quick results. But itput a brake on all future progress. The party must now choose between success and itsoriginal agenda. The party thinks Ayodhya brought success. Actually, its cadres and acoalition strategy brought success.
The rss is confused because increasingly, bjp leaders ignore it. Political compulsionsrender rss advice impractical.
For anyone to succeed Vajpayee, rss support is crucial. The PM's health isindifferent. A dozen leaders aspire to succeed him. Only two, L.K. Advani and MurliManohar Joshi, are heavyweights.
Both have a big problem: how to reconcile coalition politics with rss ideology. Theparty's new president, Bangaru Laxman, has said: "The bjp's distinguishingfeatures like Ayodhya, Uniform Civil Code and Article 370 are not necessary now. We'renot a mere three-issue party." But then he had to add that these issues could berevived when the party came to power by itself. The party will not come to power byitself. The fear of revival of these three issues would ensure that.
Advani and Joshi know this. Each deals with the problem in his own clumsy way. Advaniadmits the necessity of Article 370, welcomes a Hizbul dialogue and speaks of an Indo-Pakconfederation. Joshi wants swadeshi to be redefined in the context of globalisation. Butneither abandons the party's original agenda.
Unfortunately, this doesn't help the party. It harms both leaders. They appearpower-hungry and unprincipled. To propitiate the rss, they parrot their resolve to reviveits pet issues when they come to power on their own. They don't deceive the rss. Theydon't deceive the public. They only deceive themselves.
Now a bjp dark horse has emerged. For the first time, the party's president is agenuine, committed Hindu. Bangaru Laxman is a Dalit. Despite all the barbaric treatmentmeted to Dalits for thousands of years, driving millions to embrace Buddhism, Christianityor Islam, Bangaru remains a Hindu. Therefore, his faith in authentic Hindu values andphilosophy must be genuine. As a Dalit, he must also have empathy with other deprivedsegments. He can best speak for them. He can transform the party. No party leader willdare oppose him.
Will he draw a Bangaru Laxman Rekha?
Hindu is as Hindu does,
That's the public's current buzz,
So stop your sermons on our dharma,
Tell us all about your karma!
