BJD's exit from NDA is definitely the greatest bouncer for BJP. Or in the other words, it nailed the last but infinitely small vanishing hope of NDA wining 2009.
Time might be ripe for the BJP to do the soul searching. Why Biju or Chanrababu Naidu or Mamata Banerjee left their fleet? Why the regional players are seemingly having difficulty to keep the NDA tag? Why all of a sudden BJP is becoming untouchable in Indian politics as it was in 1980s? One should not forget that behind the success of NDA in the past was the success of these regional parties to pull themselves and BJP against Congress. These equations have drastically changed after Gujrat riot. Even after demolition of Babri Masjid, BJP was not that unacceptable among minority because after all it was a Masjid and not the Muslims. But genocide of the Muslims in Gujrat riot was definitely the most absinthal experience of the Indian minority and thereafter, NDA partners were abandoned by the minority in 2004 election. It costed them power or else they would have probably continued in NDA. Since then they tried to distance from NDA. BJP realized the difficulty with coalition partners and therefore started distancing themselves from Hinduvta politics after 2004 and aligned with issue based development. This worked out well for them. And BJP again started doing well in state assembly in Gujrat and Karntaka. But in Hindu-Christian riots of the last year that sporadically spawned from Bihar to Karnataka, fetid smell of Hinduvta politics pinned the NDA partners again. Thus explained Biju's decision.
But again, then question can be raised as to why BJP or for that matter Congress is losing bargaining power with the regional parties? In West Bengal, Congress is basically at the mercy of Mamata. So was BJP for a long time when she allied with NDA. Situation is no different in Orissa. Over the time BJD fortified while BJP tottered in Orissa. Why the national parties are waning out at the expense of reinforcement of the regional political parties?
It has to do with the power mongering custodians of national parties in Delhi. In order to retain control of Delhi over state, reward system in the national parties is paid with loyalty to Delhi and not to the people of the state. Let me cite example of West Bengal. During 1980-1995, Congress could not ferment any effective resistance movement against CP(I)M in the state. Why? Because state Congress leaders were paid for their loyalty to Delhi and not for their organizational work in the state. As a result, disgruntled Mamata Banerjee, who foresaw this vile reward system of national political parties realized that only a regional force truthful to the need of the state can fight against CPM. In last one decade, a lot of new faces from West Bengal joined Trinamul Congress but national Congress steadily lost their ground among new voters. Because in TMC, they saw a voice of their own, while in Congress it evolved around who is playing musical chair for being next favored of Gandhi family. If loyalty to Gandhi family becomes more important than solidarity with the people of West Bengal who suffered greatly at the hand of autocratic regime of CPM, clearly that national party will be losing the steam with the new generation. Not that Congress is only example. Even these days, CPM politburo is deciding what is the best for West Bengal. A glaring example is US-India nuclear deal. It would have opened opportunity for West Bengal as well but Prakash Karat opposed it without thinking how West Bengal would lose out both materially and politically.
Time might be ripe for the BJP to do the soul searching. Why Biju or Chanrababu Naidu or Mamata Banerjee left their fleet? Why the regional players are seemingly having difficulty to keep the NDA tag? Why all of a sudden BJP is becoming untouchable in Indian politics as it was in 1980s? One should not forget that behind the success of NDA in the past was the success of these regional parties to pull themselves and BJP against Congress. These equations have drastically changed after Gujrat riot. Even after demolition of Babri Masjid, BJP was not that unacceptable among minority because after all it was a Masjid and not the Muslims. But genocide of the Muslims in Gujrat riot was definitely the most absinthal experience of the Indian minority and thereafter, NDA partners were abandoned by the minority in 2004 election. It costed them power or else they would have probably continued in NDA. Since then they tried to distance from NDA. BJP realized the difficulty with coalition partners and therefore started distancing themselves from Hinduvta politics after 2004 and aligned with issue based development. This worked out well for them. And BJP again started doing well in state assembly in Gujrat and Karntaka. But in Hindu-Christian riots of the last year that sporadically spawned from Bihar to Karnataka, fetid smell of Hinduvta politics pinned the NDA partners again. Thus explained Biju's decision.
But again, then question can be raised as to why BJP or for that matter Congress is losing bargaining power with the regional parties? In West Bengal, Congress is basically at the mercy of Mamata. So was BJP for a long time when she allied with NDA. Situation is no different in Orissa. Over the time BJD fortified while BJP tottered in Orissa. Why the national parties are waning out at the expense of reinforcement of the regional political parties?
It has to do with the power mongering custodians of national parties in Delhi. In order to retain control of Delhi over state, reward system in the national parties is paid with loyalty to Delhi and not to the people of the state. Let me cite example of West Bengal. During 1980-1995, Congress could not ferment any effective resistance movement against CP(I)M in the state. Why? Because state Congress leaders were paid for their loyalty to Delhi and not for their organizational work in the state. As a result, disgruntled Mamata Banerjee, who foresaw this vile reward system of national political parties realized that only a regional force truthful to the need of the state can fight against CPM. In last one decade, a lot of new faces from West Bengal joined Trinamul Congress but national Congress steadily lost their ground among new voters. Because in TMC, they saw a voice of their own, while in Congress it evolved around who is playing musical chair for being next favored of Gandhi family. If loyalty to Gandhi family becomes more important than solidarity with the people of West Bengal who suffered greatly at the hand of autocratic regime of CPM, clearly that national party will be losing the steam with the new generation. Not that Congress is only example. Even these days, CPM politburo is deciding what is the best for West Bengal. A glaring example is US-India nuclear deal. It would have opened opportunity for West Bengal as well but Prakash Karat opposed it without thinking how West Bengal would lose out both materially and politically.
Or take the case of Tapan Sikdar of state BJP in West Bengal. This founding member of state BJP envisioned that BJP would fail to register any growth in West Bengal if they depend on Mamata. But national BJP leadersip in Delhi imposed Mamata on him. Why? Because then in national level politics, BJP would manage 10-15 seats from West Bengal for NDA. Option of seclusion was as bad as a void bag from the state but a the same time, partnering with Mamata would also meant stagnation or possibly dessication of BJP in West Bengal. But natioanl BJP leaders emphasized on MP numbers ignoring Tapan Babu's warning. So Tapan Sikdar left state BJP and formed a local Hinduvta Manch only to return last week. Guess what-Tapan Sikdar was right. BJP would possibly lose its deposit in most of the seats in West Bengal this time. Whom to blame? National leadership of course!
Even in Maharastha, Sena politics will eclipse BJP one day because no matter how much we criticize them for parochialism, they are addressing the supplication of the local people. In wrong way-no doubt, but then why the national parties are not addressing the plight of the common people?
We can also think of Orissa as an example. It is one of the most poorest state with best kind of talented people. Orissa people are peace loving and last thing they want is imported rioters of Hinduvta. Yes, they are religious but not hateful. But this state experienced most gruesome violence by Hinduvta and surely a part of BJD was realizing how that was attributing to losing their political base. One has to remember that communalism is implicitly or explicitly favored by the educated and well-to-do part of the population. Impoverished section of our society hate it as they suffer most from the riot while affluent class use it to their political benefit. Hinduvta, soft or hard may fill up 90% of the Internet forums, but they do not represent toiling commoners of our country. Majority of the Indians are just struggling to live another day and they for sure, understand what is the best for India far better than overwhelming online Hinduvta preponderance.
In short all the national parties desperately need total democratic reform within the party that would allow their state comrades to act independently and be rewarded based on performance rather than loyalty to Delhi. If they fail to pull their act together quickly, regional parties would champion the cause and voice of the local people as they are doing now.
Even in Maharastha, Sena politics will eclipse BJP one day because no matter how much we criticize them for parochialism, they are addressing the supplication of the local people. In wrong way-no doubt, but then why the national parties are not addressing the plight of the common people?
We can also think of Orissa as an example. It is one of the most poorest state with best kind of talented people. Orissa people are peace loving and last thing they want is imported rioters of Hinduvta. Yes, they are religious but not hateful. But this state experienced most gruesome violence by Hinduvta and surely a part of BJD was realizing how that was attributing to losing their political base. One has to remember that communalism is implicitly or explicitly favored by the educated and well-to-do part of the population. Impoverished section of our society hate it as they suffer most from the riot while affluent class use it to their political benefit. Hinduvta, soft or hard may fill up 90% of the Internet forums, but they do not represent toiling commoners of our country. Majority of the Indians are just struggling to live another day and they for sure, understand what is the best for India far better than overwhelming online Hinduvta preponderance.
In short all the national parties desperately need total democratic reform within the party that would allow their state comrades to act independently and be rewarded based on performance rather than loyalty to Delhi. If they fail to pull their act together quickly, regional parties would champion the cause and voice of the local people as they are doing now.
The topic you have chosen is something that has to be discussed in a wider spectrum.Title is about 'BJP losing in coalition politics"..Besides mentioning BJP's failure in coalition politics,you have made a reference of other political parties too..Either the title,or the content should be modified in the first place!
ReplyDeleteOn fundamentalism,agreed that BJP are a bit of fundamentalists..but what about other political parties??Are they free from fundamentalism??VHP/RSS openly declares Hindutva agenda..but what about our UPA?Do you think they are secular in their approach?Absolutely not!!They are following minority appeasement’..Sachar commission,CBSE certification(Affliation) to Madrassa education’..All theses are their part of politricks.Let us assume that UPA are secular..if that’s the case,why mass‘conversions’ are happening in our country??
Somewhere I read in orkut..you were mentioning on Vedas..Agreed that in this centuary its not practical to follow vedic principles.BUT Bhagvad Gita is the essence of Vedas”Understanding the complexities of Vedas,Krishna gifted Gita to follow in Kaliyuga!So today,we need to look only into Gita..No need to go back to those stone ages!!
One of the reasons for the failure of BJP/NDA is the prime ministerial candidate.A vast majority (including BJP supporters) dislike Advani.Perhaps,that could be the reason as to why they failed to form suitable alliance with regional parties.He lacks dynamism.If you think that it is the 2004 riots,,,that has made the ‘BJP’ untouchable,then you wrong!if thtas the case,then why modi came back to power in Gujarat that too with a great support??
Your last paragraph on ‘Total Democratic Reform’..yes,I agree..Considering the internal party democracy of Indian political parties,is it possible to propel them towards ‘total democratic reform’?Yes,all the political parties should undergo transformation..or it must be revamped..so that ‘internal democracy’ can be ensured in the first place.Unless and until they follow a proper internal democratic system,it is not possible to push them towards a total democratic reform,.Let the Grand oldest party take initiative in this regard.Let them be a role model in internal democracy!If you had gone through the pages of Indian history(particularly from 1948-1964) you can very well understand,to what extent,INC followed internal democracy!
There are many instances in Indian history..where our leader Gandhi..has succumbed to regional pressure.So in a coalition politics regionalism is a crucial factor.Regional parties dictates their terms and conditions..Those who succumb to their terms will survive,those who don’t will be wiped out completely!
Clan,Caste&Regionalism is curse and it hinders a proper democratic functioning of our nation.
I have neither experience nor exposure like you..But these are my personal opinion..