NATIONAL POLITICS

Electoral Report of BJP Out of Fuel

Editorial, The Times of India, 20 March, 1996

The BJP may think up any number of ingenious explanations for forcing an abrupt change in a programme that was devised advertised and marketed as a key feature of its election campaign but none of it is likely to wash with the public at large. But it is clear as daylight that Mr. Advani's about turn has a lot more to do with the lucklustre response he drew on his yatra, including in BJP-ruled states.

The BJP has surely seen happier times. In the last year or so it has been in the public glare for all the wrong reasons. First Gujarat made nonsense of its claim to be a cut above the rest. Then came news from state after state of power struggles and factional wars.

The final, knock-out blow arrived in the form of a CBI chargesheet against Mr. Advani, the party's conscience-keeper and victory mascot. That hawala has stumped the party's much-nurtured middle-class urban constituency. It is far from clear how the party wants itself projected.

It is the party's case that it is morally superior to its peers, that it is committed to delivering su-raaj (good government). It was only months ago, after its suicidal dalliance with the BSP, that it had sworn never to enter into mismatched alliances. Such being the current state of affairs in a party which once basked in its isolation, it is hardly surprising that Mr.Advani's second yatra has turned out to be a pale imitation of his hugely successful Ram rath yatra.

BJP: Not Yatras but Alliances

The BJP's strategy of trying to rope in as many of the small parties and groups like the Chandrashekhar- George Fernandes combine for Bihar, the Bansi Lal-led Haryana Vikas Manch in Haryana and the Akali Dal in Punjab is being interpreted by political circles here in two ways.

One is that the party is making this effort as it might not be confident about winning a majority and forming the government at the Centre on its own. It might be thinking that in the event of a hung Parliament, these supporting groups could help it come to power. The other is that the BJP thinks it will win a majority and would like a broad front of anti-Congress forces on its side in the next Lok Sabha.

Shailendra Mahato's quitting the membership of the BJP has also created an awkward situation.

(Source: The Times of India)

BJP's Retreat

Editorial, The Hindustan Times, 20 Mar, 96

The Bharatiya Janata Party has begun to betray signs of weakness and it is on the defensive. Its decision to "suspend" party president L.K. Advani's "Su-raj" Rath Yatra is mainly to rescue itself from the embarrassing situation arising from the poor public response. Unlike his Ayodhya yatra his latest exercise has turned out to be flop. Forget the southern States, but even in Gujarat and Maharashtra where the party is considered to be strong, the yatra has not evoked much public enthusiasm.

Any political weapons will become blunt if it is frequently used and yatras by leaders are bound to lose their effectiveness. Moreover, after the charge-sheets Advani no longer remains on the pedestal.

The stars do not seem to be favoring the BJP. The Mahto episode has brought disgrace to the party. To make things worse, there has also been no sign of the factional squabbles in the Gujarat unit of the party subsiding. In Maharashtra, the people are getting more and more disillusioned with the BJP-Shiv Sena Government. It is not too late for the party to at least set its house in order. Since its rivals are no angels, it can still give them a tough fight at the hustings.

BJP's Cup of Woes

Editorial, The Pioneer, 20 March, 1996

In contrast to the earlier yatra, Mr. Advani did not have an aggressive Hindutva to peddle because the attempts of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to incite people's religious passions and foment trouble over the issue of reclaiming the Idgah mosque at Mathura and Gyanvapi mosque at Varanasi have not met with much success. Moreover, after the demolition of the disputed Babari. Masjid structure, most Hindus have come to realize the enormous folly of similar acts. Second, howsoever hard Mr. Advani may try to put up a brave face, the fact that the CBI has found a prima facie case to file chargesheets against him in the hawala case has certainly made a dent in his so far absolutely clean image. The hawala case has taken away some of the BJP president's aura.

It was naturally bound to result in declining popularity of Mr. Advani

The BJP's tale of woes does not stop here Mr. Mahato has resigned from the BJP. While his own credibility is quite low, he has certainly made the BJP look utterly ridiculous.