Monday, January 28, 2013

Rajnath-Modi confabulations

The meeting between newly elected BJP President Rajnath Singh and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi assumes significance in view of the Lok Sabha elections slated to be held in 2014 and latter’s claim for BJP's prime ministerial candidate. Rajnath Singh's first and foremost task is to strike balance between Narendra Modi, other senior party leaders and the oldest ally JD(U), which has already put the BJP on notice in case it propped up Modi as prime Ministerial candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha. It is Rajnath Singh's second time to become the party president and he is more formidable and heavy weight than the outgoing president Nitin Gadkari. He is also nursing the ambition of Prime Minister if ever the party won in 2014. The relation between the two heavyweights of the party has been hot and cold. Rajnath Singh is also favourite of the deciding factor in the BJP the RSS. It is also a fact that Narendra Modi's one-up manship is not liked by the RSS, the doting parent of the BJP. It is the RSS which has kept the BJP together. Otherwise, there are as many prime ministerial candidates in the party as its leaders. As far as the meeting between Rajnath and Modi is concerned, both have said to the media that apart from courtesy call, they discussed elaborately about 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Modi must have sought Rajnath’s opinion about his role in Lok Sabha elections. Modi would always like to have unchallenged role. It is extremely problematic for any party president. After recording three consecutive victory in Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi must have impressed upon Rajnath Singh to publicize his good governance in the state and in return the mandate of the people. It is also a fact that Modi is the most popular leader among BJP workers all over the nation. It is also not only Gujarat BJP unit which wishes to serve the nation. State units of all political parties wish to serve the nation. It is also not only Narendra Modi of BJP who is known for good governance but also the CMs of Madhya Pradesh and Chattishgarh Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan and Raman Singh respectively known for good governance. One thing is also tested that Narendra Modi may have established his magical touch in Gujarat Assembly elections thrice in a row but at the same time he has made no impression in any election campaigning outside Gujarat. Rather wherever he campaigned outside his own state, the BJP has suffered mostly. Rajnath and Modi duo may look effective but it can give birth to fresh internecine war in the party. It is crystal clear that there is no unanimity on any national leader under whom the BJP could fight Lok Sabha elections in 2014. To wrest power from the Congress, the BJP needs to keep the NDA united. Only united NDA could give formidable challenge to the Congress-led UPA, which is shaky because of corruption and price rise. One thing is also clear that the moment BJP announced the name of Narendra Modi as party's prime ministerial candidate, its most formidable and oldest ally would take no time in severing ties with it. It is also a fact that India is a very big country and Gujarat is one of the 28 states. So, the performance of the leader in a state can not be the barometer for prime ministerial candidate of the nation. Prime ministerial candidate of any party must be of unquestioned secular credentials where Narendra Modi falls short.

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