Omkar Dattatray
L.K Advani is the margdarshak of BJP in theory but in practice his advice is not taken into consideration. The so called Margdarshak Mandal – advisory body of BJP is redundant one as is clear from the fact that since its birth after the formation of BJP led NDA government in May, 2014, this advisory body did not meet even once to give advice to BJP. It was formed only to accommodate the senior most leaders of the party who were considered burden on it and were not inducted into cabinet. In fact, the senior most leaders of the BJP were sidelined and silenced by the Saffron party. They include L.K Advani, M.M Joshi and in all six senior members of the party. It is ironical that the advice of the advisory body was never sought.
In fact these senior members of the party were shown the door as they were confined to four walls of s the defunct Margdarshak Mandal. Now the ice has been broken after a silence of five long years. The 91 year old senior leader and founder member of BJP has broken his silence and has talked truth and has done plain speaking.
Though, Advani does not matter and fit into the political calculus of 2019 elections but his plain speaking is relevant for the BJP and therefore has a great value for it. However, the Modi-Shah duo will not pay heed to the sane advice of the BJP's senior most leader. At a time when people are getting frustrated at hearing political slights which are nothing but brash and are confrontational in style, the call from BJP's founder member and patriarch L.K Advani asking all BJP members to look back, look ahead and look within comes as a whiff of fresh air. Advani who is known as the Loh Pursh- the iron man had to face several moments of insult in the last five years but maintained stoic silence being a statesman and gave a wise advice to the present genre of leaders who are being led by Modi-Shah Jodi to have an honest introspection. In the last five years Advani uttered only 365 words in parliament despite 92 percent attendance.
Much has changed in the life of Advani in the past five years which were trying times for the senior leader of the BJP. Though he continues to sit in the front row of the Lok Sabha, he is no long longer the fiery parliamentarian and darling of BJP. Advani's advice can be called Advani's ‘man ki baat' and talk. It should be given proper heed but thanks to the authoritative attitude of Modi-Shah combination there is least possibility that his advice may be considered by the Saffron party.
However, the advice is no less than a nectar for BJP's organizational matters and for the future politics of the party. Advani has said and said it rightly that BJP has never regarded political opponents as anti-nationals but the present generation of BJP leaders do not regard its political rivals as adversaries but calls then anti-nationals and this is the problem in today's BJP and it was alien to BJP in the past. Advani has said that dissent and regard for freedom of speech are the touch stones of democracy and it should be followed in BJP's politics. Will the BJP listen to the sane advice is a moot question. Given the present scenario of the BJP and its leadership of Modi-Shah, it is unlikely that BJP will heed and act on the advice of its founder and senior most member. The timing of Advani's address is something which one needs to appreciate.
As the senior most leader-who has crossed 90 has appealed to all voters to rethink and decide about the party they want to see in power when the election commission would announce the results on May, 23. According to Advani,”Elections are a festival of democracy but they are also an occasion for honest introspection by all the stakeholders in Indian democracy-political parties, mass media, authorities conducting election process and above all the electors.” It speaks volumes about the present day political scenario both at the national level and at the state levels. This is in fact a states-manly advice of the sagacious and senior most leader and founder member of the BJP and has much value not only for the BJP but for all other political parties and for the voters as well. It is hoped that the BJP's rank and file will heed the words of wisdom of 91 year old Advani which are no less than nectar.
Advani has sacrificed all his life for the Jan Sangh and the BJP. Advani's piece of advice should be taken into consideration and should be acted upon if BJP wants to ensure its future progress as a party with a difference and it should shun its label now as a party with differences and an authoritative party.
In today's BJP there is no inner party democracy and everything is decided at the top and comes from Modi-Shah only and the middle rung leaders and ground workers of the party are disregarded and not taken into account. Right to dissent which is the soul of the democracy is today absent in BJP and it takes its political rivals not as adversaries but calls them anti nationals and this is the problem.
If BJP has to grow and improve it is the time for saner introspection and soul searching by BJP. All said and done Advani needs to be given a place which he really deserves.
