The diatribe which one-time senior Bharatiya Janata Party ideologue Sudheendra Kulkarni wrote some days ago, demonstrates that the old guard in the BJP, presumably led by lK Advani, is not prepared to go without kicking and screaming.
Kulkarni had been a close associate of Atal Bihari Vajpayee during the latter's tenure as Prime Minister, but after Vajpayee's withdrawal from active politics due to poor health, he has nudged close to Advani. While it must be said to Kulkarni's credit that he had in those years conducted himself with dignity through his public statements and writings, his latest comments are clearly out of character and seem to have been made from a deeply frustrated state of mind — in which Advani’s followers are presently in — than from a dispassionate understanding of the situation at hand. let us then address the major issues he has raised.
Kulkarni laments in a signed article which he recently wrote for a website, that “an autocrat (Modi) is sought to be enthroned, and a perfect democrat (Advani) is being marginalised and humiliated”. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an autocrat as a (1) “Person (as a monarch) ruling with unlimited authority”; (2) “One who has undisputed influence or power”. The Gujarat Chief Minister does have a level of undisputed influence or power, but that has not come out of his being a monarch or a brutal dictator. It's the people of Gujarat who have given him the power and the influence, and the people have done so through a democratic process. Why does Kulkarni have a problem with thatIJ An autocrat has unlimited authority, but does ModiIJ Clearly not, because he is bound by the law of the land (he has not structured it, unlike what generally autocrats do) and is answerable to the people who elect him and the party which he has been leading in Gujarat.
The former ideologue proceeds to elaborate on why Modi is an ‘autocrat’. Kulkarni says, “A self-centered leader who has shown that he cares two hoots for the party organisation and long-time party colleagues in his own State has suddenly become all powerful in the BJP's national scheme of things”. If Modi cares two hoots for long-time colleagues in his State, it is a miracle that he has been leading the party to victories in election after election, since 2002. How is it possible that a ‘self-centred’ leader, who sweeps asides other leaders and workers with contempt, wins repeatedly, and with huge marginsIJ It could not have been possible without the support of a party organisation for which Kulkarni claims Modi cares two hoots. The party leaders whom he has supposedly scorned could have easily ganged up and ended Modi's reign.
As for the observation that the Gujarat Chief Minister has “suddenly become all powerful in the BJP's national scheme of things”, those who have been following the developments in the party will tell a different tale: That Modi's elevation had been coming for months now, especially after he led the BJP to a record third win in the Gujarat Assembly election in November last year. There was nothing ‘sudden' to his promotion. It's the persistent and petty opposition to his rise from quarters which Kulkarni appears to represent that has added to Modi's larger-than-life-image. After all, you have to be somebody to be so vehemently opposed by forces led by Advani.
Modi may have a strong individualistic streak that his critics can interpret as autocracy, but such ‘autocracy' leads to a quick decision-making ability and the strength to stand by those decisions. Some of the world's finest leaders can be termed ‘autocrats', if one goes by Kulkarni's definition. Margaret Thatcher and Indira Gandhi are only two outstanding examples of such ‘autocrats'. Critics of Jawaharlal Nehru also often panned him for his ‘autocratic' ways. Did that make them failed leadersIJ Did they not take the people alongIJ Kulkarni will do well to realise that ‘taking colleagues along' is just one aspect of leadership; the more important is ‘taking the party cadre and the people along'. Many believe that Modi has the ability to do that. He can, if the likes of Kulkarni stop snapping at his heels. Incidentally, while rubbishing the Gujarat Chief Minister, Kulkarni says that a “perfect democrat (Advani) is being marginalised and humiliated”. But the ‘perfect democrat’ has refused to endorse his party National Executive’s democratic decision to elevate Modi. The ‘perfect democrat’ has also ignored the overwhelming support his party’s workers have for the Gujarat Chief Minister. The consensus on Modi, which was “there for everyone to see” — as senior leader Venkaiah Naidu remarked — seems to have not caught the ‘perfect democrat’s’ attention.
The former BJP ideologue clearly holds Advani in great respect (all party leaders apparently do) and believes that he can revive the fortunes of the party (very few leaders share that optimism). But, even going by the observations which Kulkarni had made in his letter of resignation as an office-bearer back in 2005, it is obvious that Advani has failed. Kulkarni had then gushingly written to Advani, “You'll begin to create a new atmosphere and new ‘electricity' in the country — something akin to what you described about the initial unexpected public response to your Ram Rath Yatra. This wave of positive ideas, positive emotions and positive agenda for India's future will sweep away the Congress in the next elections.”
let alone create ‘new electricity', Advani failed to ignite even a tiny flame in the minds of the voters in the 2009 general election. Far from sweeping the election with a “wave of positive ideas, positive emotions and positive agenda for India's future”, the party under Advani's leadership went under.
But what Kulkarni had further suggested in his letter to Advani, is even more interesting. He said, “Increasingly, your communication should transcend the party boundaries and reach out to the hearts and minds of the people of India. They are looking for new hope.”
Modi has been doing precisely that — reaching out to the hearts and minds of the people of India and arousing fresh hope in them. So, why is Kulkarni upsetIJ
Kulkarni is so worked up that he has not spared BJP president Rajnath Singh either, calling him a “foxy” president. The reason for the ‘compliment' is that Singh has thrown in his lot with Modi and taken the lead in promoting the Gujarat Chief Minister to a national role. Perhaps Kulkarni would have liked Singh to go against the wishes of the party workers and the overwhelming majority opinion in the National Executive that met in Goa earlier this month. Moreover, if truth be told, a foxy leader is any day preferable to an ostrich which has its head buried in the sand.