Opinion

Bull's Eye

In the Congress, the conflict is between loyalists and sycophants. In the BJP, it is between front-stabbers and backstabbers...

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Bull's Eye
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Long ago, conflict within the Congress was between nationalists and internationalists, between Nehruites and Patelites. That became conflict between socialists and liberals, between Indira and the Syndicate. And that then developed to conflict between dynasty and organisation, between Rajiv Gandhi and V.P. Singh. Now it has become conflict between loyalists and sycophants, between Sonia Gandhi and Arjun Singh.

A close study of loyalists and sycophants should indicate the difference clearly enough. The sycophants crawl before Sonia Gandhi. The loyalists crawl before Sonia Gandhi as well as before the portraits of Nehru, Indira, Sanjay and Rajiv. Arjun Singh, chief ideologue of the loyalists, struck a great pre-poll blow for Karnataka by his recent utterances.

Some time ago, Rahul and Priyanka urged their mother to retire and reduce her physical strain. Alas, Arjun Singh possibly mistook this filial concern for palace intrigue. One is led to wonder: is he lingering in the era of medieval Mughal intrigue? The Dynasty remained united. Arjun Singh then announced that Rahul should be next PM. People thought he was targeting the PM. Sonia Gandhi knew he was targeting her. So she gave him a tongue-lashing. Now Arjun Singh’s only hope is for the loyalists to do their bit in Karnataka and ensure a Congress defeat.

The ideological rifts within the BJP are less complex. In the early days, the conflict was between centralisation and autonomy, between the RSS and Balraj Madhok. That changed to conflict between Hindutva and Brahminism, between Advani and Vajpayee. And that became conflict between pro-Jinnah and anti-Jinnah, between Advani and M.M. Joshi. Now, it is conflict between front-stabbers and backstabbers. Front-stabbers seek self-improvement, backstabbers attempt party destruction. Yashwant Sinha leads the front-stabbers. Who are the backstabbers? Ask Yediyuruppa after the polls.

(Puri can be reached at rajinderpuri2000@yahoo.com)

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