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BJP : Drift continues |
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The drift in the strife-torn BJP continues with various leaders of the party speaking in different voices on the vital issue of relations with its parent body, the RSS. The RSS itself is holding its working committee meeting at Chitrakoot, from Oct. 21 to discuss a wide range of issues related to national developments as well as internal organisational matters of the Sangh Parivar. The three-day working committee will mark the completion of 80 years of the RSS which was founded by late Keshav Bali Ram Hedgewar on September 27, 1925.
The working committee meeting is significant in the context of remarks by RSS chief K. Sudarshan at a Dusshera rally in Nagpur where he talked about the new generation. Delivering his annual speech at the function, he said, “The new generation is now ready to take over the RSS which has weathered many onslaughts like the imposition of ban on it.” Recalling the contributions made by the last four generations, the RSS chief said, “now the fifth generation is ready to take over.”
There are reports that Sudarshan may announce his decision to step down next year at the Chitrakoot meeting.
RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav, talking to reporters on October 13, did not rule out the possibility of discussion on replacing the personalized style of leadership in the BJP with a collective leadership and on filling up the vacancy in the top slot of the party when L.K. Advani steps down. He said so far no discussion has taken place between the top BJP and RSS leaders on the issues that arose from Advani’s critical comment on the RSS at BJP’s Chennai national executive meeting where he had suggested that the RSS should not interfere in BJP matters.
Vajpayee differs from Advani
In a related development, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said on Friday, October 14, that the RSS has not been interfering in the BJP’s affairs. Vajpayee’s remarks while leaving a book release function in New Delhi was music to the Sangh’s ears as it came on the heels of firebrand BJP leader Uma Bharati’s criticism of RSS joint general secretary, Suresh Soni, for interfering in BJP affairs in Madhya Pradesh. That Vajpayee contradicted Advani’s public criticism of the RSS interference is considered significant.
Earlier, RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav confirmed receipt of Bharati’s letter to K. S. Sudarshan and said its contents would be discussed by the Sangh leaders.
Bharati’s letter, sources said, had enraged the RSS as well as sections of the BJP. Far from helping Bharati, her missive to the Sangh chief may have further damaged her prospects of returning to Bhopal as Chief Minister or regaining her post as general secretary, sources said.
Vajpayee who had not spoken in public since the Chennai meet, faced a volley of questions on recent events rocking the BJP, said since he had not read Bharati’s letter, he could not comment on it.
But to a specific query as to whether he agreed that the RSS was interfering in BJP affairs, the former Prime Minister said, “Sangh hastakshep nahin karta.” He repeated it, saying there was “no question” of RSS’ interference.
RSS insiders have been privately gloating over the fact that no significant BJP leader has taken up Advani’s call for a “debate” on BJP-RSS relations, nor has anyone echoed Advani’s redefinition of ties as “symbolic” rather than “umbilical.” Pramod Mahajan, for instance, not only ruled out a public debate on relations with the RSS, but also underlined that the two organisatioins shared a “mother-child relationship.
Observers also see the RSS hand in scuttling a move reportedly led by Advani to reinstate Uma Bharati as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister. Sources said that the Sangh is against Advani making any appointment in BJP or allowing change of leadership in party-ruled states. Advani has to step down as party president on December 30 after presiding over the silver jubilee fete of the party. Significantly, the second rung leaders of the party including vice president Venkaiah Naidu back the RSS for the sake of their own future. That is why Uma Bharati in her letter to the RSS chief criticised two BJP leaders, she says, are being used by Suresh Soni, to scuttle her chances of making a come back to Madhya Pradesh politics. These were party vice president Venkaiah Naidu and general secretary Sanjay Joshi.
Advani got another blow last week when senior party leader Pramod Mahajan stressed the need for taking collective decisions in the party after proper deliberations. He told a TV channel that the cause of infighting in the party has a lot to do with the absence of collective thinking. He said the senior most leader has given a go bye to the tradition of collective leadership. On the surface, Advani, reacting to Pramod Mahajan’s remarks said that the collective leadership idea was a good one. But observers see Pramod Mahajan’s remarks as a conscious attempt to distance himself from Advani and Vajpayee, the two leaders he was very close to.
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