When you have a cadre based political party, it may seemingly generate a whole array of leaders. In this scenario unlike other parties, personalities of the day are made. There is a succession based transition process and so an ordinary cadre can also aspire to be at the helm and this sets to be the life blood of such parties.
A party with established galaxy of leaders then have a churning process which will naturally create differences and infighting. BJP has had this factor of systemic upheaval when it selects a new leader. This time around however the elevation of Modi as the PM has structured perhaps a permanent fault line of sorts and his winning the elections has ratified the division.
The Anti Modi phenomena that runs in the circles of power everywhere actually has its nest within the BJP. Factional bickering in any organization is undoubtedly a reality. However, as Narendra Modi was made the election in charge for 2014 polls, these factions united to become pro and anti Modi. LK Advani was BJP’s mascot for 2009 and had prepositioned himself to become Prime Ministerial in case BJP had steered itself to eventually win.
This compounded by the fact he had reportedly canvassed himself as sort of mentor to Modi and his political fortunes. As the party, had rallied behind the aging war horse in 2009, this time around it swung towards Modi owing to an overwhelming groundswell and undoubtedly the best choice to be the PM aspirant. This was not fitting in the Advani’s scheme of things with sulking and displeasure reaching media circles. As a matter of fact, dissent is perfectly fine but the way it was portrayed clearly left a bad taste across sides and the tug of war still even now continues.
There is no doubt but Margadarshak Mandal was more like how governors are made even if it was deemed to have a mentor based objectives. Its titular and deemed politically inactive and the formation of Mandal within was a party version of the same. The age limit to become a minister was standardized and this in a way closed all doors of assuming power for an all sulking Advani faction.
As Advani surrounded by his own coterie still harbours active political aspirations, his anti Modi stance is raising its head like a spring every opportune time. May it be Arun Shourie or may be even S. Kulkarni, his advisors are nowhere closer to Modi administration. The discontent is mostly parlayed to media and it has happened tad quite again and again. During the emergency anniversary, Advani made a controversial comment indicating conditions currently are favourable to that raising eye brows and providing further impetus to anti Modi lobby. Arun Shorie time and time again has being a vocal opponent of his polices. Shatrugan Sinha too makes it into the sporadic gate crashing criticising party.
These statements obviously give opposition into trading charges of BJP being centralized owing to these intermittent outbursts. And now LK Advani has used the best medium to perhaps subtly get back at the current BJP leadership and the Govt. Being a veteran parliamentarian attending parliament sessions with immense impeccability, he accused both sides of the current disruption ensuing in the Parliament house owing to demonetization.
This left the parliamentary affairs minister stunned as being a senior veteran and a witness to innumerable sessions over the years, his criticism even if traded on both sides would be easy to be picked up by the opposition to question the govt yet again.
Perhaps Advani’s observation may not be entirely out of context and may even be made for the betterment of the parliament as a statesman. Nevertheless, his past track record of downplaying the Modi govt will give more fuel to the fire rather than settling the impasse.
The civil war within the party fold between the veterans and the current crop of leadership can be converted into a healthy improvisation with a better dialogue and deliberations in between them to strengthen the party. A cadre based party may be a blessing looking at other formats like dynasty based outfits or severe nepotism laced regional parties. However, the advantages cannot be utilised unless the war of words in the media and subtle side lining doing the rounds is nipped in the bud.
