THE B J P AND SRI L K ADVANI

 In a recent meeting of B J P workers senior leader Sri L K  Advani  said that they need not be
apologetic about Babari Masjid incident and that he was proud of it. Perhaps this is the first time Sri Advani openly supporting it. At one time he had even said that he was sorry for the incident. Now, just before Parliament election and while B J P is expecting Muslim votes also, he made the unnecessary comment, it is intriguing.

May be he made the remark in the frenzy of a speech. Any way it did not make much impact, the Press did not give prominence for the News with comments or articles. If he had made a speech like that ten years back it would have been provocative and sensational. One factor for it to be a damp squib was Sri Advani is in a semi-retirement regime and the other; he could not make much impression of late as opposition leader in Parliament.

 In recent years the performance of B J P in Parliament was by and large unimpressive with a negative vibe. The party acted as if to sit in opposition meant to oppose every move of Government, both good and bad. Though B J P, in principle is pro- reforms, they opposed all reform bills in Parliament some of which they themselves would have presented in Parliament had they been in power. Similarly, B J P is said to be a rightist party yet at no time did they perform as such in Parliament and in many occasions they voted with the left parties. The party was giving prominence to votes than for principles. The general public are sensible enough to discern a true ideological stand and an opposition based on party rivalry.  Overall the performance of the party gave a picture of a desperately negative opposition party.

Although all party stalwarts went along the line of leaders in opposing U P A, Sri Narendra Mody was not seen criticising the reform agenda and kept mum about them giving a feeling that he would not say things that he does not himself believe in. He has criticised the U P A government on many issues but he did not make any comment against measures taken by the Government to boost the economy even while the party was vehemently opposing it in Parliament.

The people have become pro-development.  If the B J P had supported the Government on the Indo-U S civil nuclear agreement in last Parliament the party would have fared better in the last election or even got sufficient seats to form a Government along with its allies. Sri Advani opposed the bill vehemently in order to settle score with Prime Minister Sri Manmohan Singh and to see the fall of Government. The B J P had to pay a price for that opportunistic stand in the election. The party unexpectedly found thinner in Parliament when results declared.

Even though decisions on strategies are taken collectively, leaders like Sri  Advani can do a lot in directing the party properly. Somehow the B J P misses the Advani who made the party what it is now.