By S. Divakar for TwoCircles.net
The Presidential election is over, but Narendra Modi has been and continues to be widely criticised for ignoring L.K. Advani. It is being said that Modi has not given Advani the ‘Guru Dakshina’. As per the seniority scale amidst BJP leaders, many found Advani, naturally, to be deserving to become the head of the Indian republic. Since the time Modi became Prime Minister, it was presumed that Advani would be elevated to the position of the President of India but neither Narendra Modi nor BJP President Amit Shah had ever made a formal or informal announcement in this regard.
There are several reasons that accounted for Modi not choosing Adwani as the possible presidential choice. First, obviously, is the recent development related to the Ayodhya court case. With the trial proceedings speeded up on the direction of the Supreme Court, things, naturally, became more difficult for Advani. Uma Bharati is also facing charges in the similar case but Modi is left with no choice but to carry her with him. It would not be wise for him to attract more complications.
Second, by elevating Advani, Modi would put high hopes in the minds of other elderly leaders as well. Murali Manohar Joshi never refrains from equating himself with Advani. Moreover, he often claims that his sacrifice and penance are greater than that of Advani. Atal Bihari Vajpayee showed no reservations in stirring this rivalry and used Joshi to undermine Advani whenever he felt like doing so.
Modi is smarter in that sense. He does not care for Joshi. However, Joshi camp still raises the issue of the dignity of its leader, but it is quite evident that followers of both the camps are engaged in frequent buttering of Modi as they have lost hope of getting anything from their respective leaders.
But the real reason behind this is that to RSS, Advani was never really a serious contender to become head of the Indian Republic. Though it is a common belief that the Sangh has played an important role in promoting Advani, the truth is that the RSS was quite convinced about the limited talent of Advani and that is why it never bet on him except once when it had no other choice.
There are so many myths associated with the RSS. One of them is that not a single decision is made without the consent of the Sangh. Also, whenever RSS workers get actively involved, they turn the tide in favour of the BJP. It is another story whether it is true or false. Yet on the basis of these arguments, it is necessary to unfold the reasons as to why the RSS has no confidence in Advani. Advani’s capabilities were fully utilized during the well drafted violent agitation in the name of Ram Mandir. And the Sangh knew that Advani was not worth beyond that.
That is why he was given a clear message in this regard and Advani was forced to move Vajpayee’s name as Prime Ministerial candidate. If the RSS is really that powerful as the general assumption is, then how could Advani do such a huge thing without its wish or direction? It is argued that Advani forwarded Vajpayee’s name on account of his so-called secular image and better ability to communicate with the public.
Of course, this argument seems valid, but it must be deciphered as to why the RSS would bet on Vajpayee when he publicly tried to disassociate himself with the Ram Mandir movement? This is the first example that shows that even during that time the RSS leadership had no faith in Advani.
The RSS used Advani for the second time during Jinnah controversy. Advani, considered as blue-eyed boy of the RSS, was not out of mind when he poured praise for Jinnah. Vajpayee’s health was deteriorating fast and there was no one in BJP who could be roped in his place.
So far as Joshi is concerned, his stature has always been lower than that of Advani. In such a situation, the RSS was desperately looking for the alternate of Vajpayee. Whatever Advani told while visiting Jinnah’s graveyard in Pakistan, was an effort on the part of the RSS to present him a person similar to Vajpayee. Both Advani and the RSS were fully aware that this would create controversy. And it did happen.
Except a few like Jaswant Singh, no one came in support of Advani. Advani had to quit all the posts and it was perceived as if he himself invited his fall. Many people still remember that incident in the same way, but they forget to recall who has been projected as BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate in Lok Sabha election barely four years later. If the RSS was behind the stripping of all the posts from Advani after the Jinnah controversy, then how and why it allowed Advani’s come back?
Before placing Modi in the front by kindling the Hindutva oriented nationalism, the RSS had no choice but to bet on Advani. With the emergence of Modi in the BJP, that compulsion became void. Whenever Advani got angry, efforts were made to calm him down and beyond that, he has never been accorded any preferential treatment.
Even though for a year and a half, Advani’s name was tossed time and again as a suitable and the strongest candidate for the post of President, but when the meaningful discussion really happened within the coterie of the BJP, he was nowhere in the frame. The RSS never doubted Advani’s commitment towards BJP’s ideological wing, but it knew for sure that his capacity was limited. He was utilized as much as he could have been.
He is now best suited as a show piece in the functions or gatherings, not beyond that. That is why Advani got nothing. Actually, he was never a choice at all.
(The author is a Senior Hindi Journalist)