First he was the scribe writing for Organiser weekly, carrying his editorial boss K.R. Malkani on the pillion of his scooter. Then courtesy theRSS, he graduated to politics. He became boss of the local administration in Delhi. These were modest roles, a shade better than those for extras. He acquitted himself well. He moved on to bigger roles, as Rajya Sabha MP and then party president. He remained a competent but unexciting actor.
Then he got a major role. He acted as Lord Ram. For the first time, he became a star. As a star he got terrific publicity to build up his image. His publicists spun the story that Lord Ram revived to life a dead bjp which had just two Lok Sabha seats. They forgot to mention, and the public overlooked, that seat adjustments with V.P. Singh before the rath yatra helped theBJP climb from two to 80-odd seats. V.P. Singh's divorce from the corruption issue and his affair with the Mandal issue sealed his fate. It also helped theBJP to keep climbing. That was when Lord Ram was at his zenith.
Unfortunately, Lord Ram didn't shoot straight. No arrow found its mark in Ayodhya. The temple remained a dream. It was time for Advani to change his role. He became Sardar Patel. This role was tailor-made. Atal was number one, like Pandit Nehru. So Sardar Patel for Advani at Number Two, as the Iron Man!
But then Sardar Patel made a dreadful mistake. Being starry-eyed, he thought India was shining. He compelled a mid-term poll even as a breakthrough in Pakistan peace talks appeared likely, and even as a nuclear deal and strategic alliance with the US looked possible. Alas, only malefic stars were shining. TheBJP lost power.
Goodbye Sardar Patel! Hello, Mohammed Ali Jinnah! Time to try a new secular role. Advani won over millions of voters in Pakistan. He lost his core base in India. TheRSS and VHP were at his throat. Poor Advani! But somehow he survived. So he decided to become a humble PM-in-waiting. Now he sits in the waiting room, waiting to be called. What must Lord Ram and Sardar Patel be thinking of him?
(Puri can be reached at rajinderpuri2000@yahoo.com)
