Advani adjudged ancestral head; BJP’s grandchildren take over

By O.J.George

No one can deny the ferocity of the tumultuous A.B.Vajpayee-L.K.Advani era in BJP, which had fetched the party the reins of power at the Centre.


No doubt, it could not nurture the progress made to greater fruition and could not ensure at least alternate governance at the Centre with the Congress Party.


There has been a great shortage of ideas to propel it beyond Rath Yatra and its off-shoots. At best what the party has done seems to be Sonia baiting and Manmohan bashing, bereft of other clear programmes and proclivities.

The BJP has been remaining stuck at some point, and no one knows whether there would be another jump-start.


Perhaps the RSS should suggest to its political outfit to keep off Sonia Gandhi and the family, for too much criticism would only generate a sympathy factor for them in the hearts of the people.

And what is the point in lecturing against a legitimate role for Rahul Gandhi in the political echelons of India? Or for that matter, Priyanka Gandhi in future.

It would be better to concentrate on plans and programmes and not personalities.

The single largest mistake made by the party was its propensity to launch an agitation against Sonia Gandhi, when she was about to take over as Prime Minister.

The people’s mandate was mauled by the defeated political rival, led by Sushma Swaraj at that time.

Naturally, one can expect the same strain of arguments as she takes over the role of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha from L.K.Advani. Which again prompts one to say that the future is not that good in the matter of recapturing power.

All the same, changes are better in the eyes of the people, for another era is opening up, with promises and promptings galore, the grandfathers providing patronage in ample measure.