Advani succumbs to NaMo-nia

LK Advani resigns from all the posts he held in the BJP. The news comes as a shocker for the BJP leaders and workers who were celebrating Modi elevation as the chief of poll committee. The decision taken at the Goa meet was being considered historic and many believed that it was the beginning of a new era. A day after ‘the historic decision’ an era ended in the history of the saffron party when LK Advani’s resignation reached the BJP headquarters. 

Advani, who has been the part of the BJP since its inception, was member of the national executive, parliamentary board and the election committee. He, who had been instrumental in making the BJP powerful in the nineties, felt short off supporters within his own party and had no option left but to resign to avoid denting his image further. 

In an emotional letter to the BJP chief Rajnath Singh, he said that he had been finding it difficult to reconcile either with the current functioning of the party, or the direction in which it is going.  He complained that most leaders of the party are concerned just with their personal agendas. His resignation indicates that the BJP is party with differences and is unable to handle its affairs. 

It is ironical that his resignation came a day after Modi was elevated. As political pundits are saying the resignation is his way of expressing dissent over the elevation of Narendra Modi. Modi met him first in 1975. Advani supported him climbed the political ladder in Gujarat. But he did not have a faint idea that Modi will become ‘indispensible’ for the party and party workers will choose Modi over him. 

The resignation sends a message across clearly that Advani’s voice of dissent did not matter in the party. Advani, who always had major say in party affairs, even during the Vajpayee reign, felt his hold on the party affairs insignificant. He had never criticised the party functioning in open as he was the sole authority to take big decisions and he was whose voice always matter. His harsh words about the party affairs shows he became really upset and weak within the party.  

He had always been the number two and he was hopeful that after the retirement of Atal Bihari Vajpayee he could become the number one in the party. Undoubtedly, he was the senior most and the powerful leader after Vajpayee. He tried his luck in 2009 elections but failed miserably. His resignation expresses that his hopes of becoming the PM or say number one in the BJP was dashed by the popularity of NaMo among party workers and others those are BJP fans. 

Advani must have thought that he can be the prime minister of the NDA if the alliance wins enough seats to come to the power after 2014 general elections. He knew NDA allies would have never supported the nomination of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. His chances were bright but ‘the historic decision’ taken at the party meet in Goa humiliated him to the core. Perhaps, it was evident that NaMo would be elevated that’s why he preferred to stay away from the meet on health grounds. 

However, his resignation letter has been rejected by the BJP chief Rajnath Singh and it is uncertain what would be the next move of the former deputy prime minister.

His resignation indicates that the BJP is party with differences and is unable to handle its affairs. 

It is the high time that party get over its inner conflicts as it will not gain even if Congress loses at centre owing to incumbency factor, poor governance and failed economic policies. They should always keep in mind: people are watching.

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