The BJP is forced to publicly defend its president against corruption allegations that are reinforced by protests from within on this count
The BJP is forced to publicly defend its president against corruption allegations that are reinforced by protests from within on this count
The main Opposition party can hardly afford to breathe a sigh of relief after suspending Rajya Sabha member and top lawyer Ram Jethmalani. Even expelling him for his frequent recent run-ins with the top leadership cannot remove the serious problems the BJP is beset with.
The likes of Mr Jethmalani —who, to quote his own words, is “a small man” in the party — can afford to raise their voice precisely because the BJP has lost its inner cohesiveness. It is forced to publicly defend its president against corruption allegations that are reinforced by protests from within on this count.
The stifling competition within the top leadership of the BJP to be named the party’s first choice for Prime Minister, if it manages to dislodge the Congress, was common knowledge. This caused a degree of difficulty in smooth functioning. But the overweening ambitions of many — as a factor for causing internal harm — was nothing compared to the crisis produced by allegations against Nitin Gadkari.
For the party that meant losing face nationally, including among NDA allies. More, in such a climate, the question arose if a party with Mr Gadkari at the helm can offer a challenge in the next general election to the Congress-led UPA, as well as to various regional parties whose leaders are also dreaming big.
Mr Gadkari, a local-level Nagpur politician-businessman, was imposed on the BJP as its president by the RSS. Other contenders had to lump it as the BJP is the RSS’ political front. But the silent murmur of protest became audible when the RSS contrived to get its protege a second term by having the BJP amend its constitution recently. In the light of the recent allegations, many are rightly hoping the RSS leadership sees reason and lets Mr Gadkari be eased out when his current term expires, and support the appointment of someone else.
Ram Jethmalani, Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha (and maybe Jaswant Singh) are among those who would like Mr Gadkari to step down. BJP patriarch L.K. Advani too is thought to be of the same mind. Taking action against Mr Jethmalani is perhaps meant to warn other dissenters. But will it stem the brewing revolt?
Such is the situation that the Gadkari issue appears to have divided the RSS itself. In a recent article, RSS stalwart Mohan Vaidya suggested that Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi might secretly be behind the moves against the BJP president. This can be viewed as a stance against Mr Modi as well as the current RSS leadership who, in the final analysis, appear to remain with Mr Modi. Such a suspicion-laden atmosphere is hardly good augury for the country’s main Opposition party.
