|
New Delhi: Internal strife has gripped the Bharatiya Janata Party while it prepares to make a determined bid to capture power during next year's general elections.
Two factions have emerged in the party and they are at war, which many feel may have detrimental impact during the next round of state legislative assembly polls slated for later this year.
While one faction is being headed by party president Rajnath Singh, the other faction, comprising many top second generation leaders, owes its allegiance to veteran leader Lal Krishna Advani.
Interestingly, the Advani faction does not enjoy his blessings. Sources say he is both disturbed and apprehensive about the developments taking place since it may mar his chances of becoming the next prime minister of the country. The opposition National Democratic Alliance has already named him as its prime ministerial candidate.
Political posturing
Some senior leaders of the party, who are not attached to any of the factions, feel it is basically part of political posturing since both the factions have their eyes on grabbing leadership in the post-Advani era.
"Age is not on Advani's side. Although he is physically in good shape, he would be 81 by the time the Lok Sabha elections are held. In a way, it is nothing but a war of succession being fought," said a senior member of its national executive.
While Rajnath Singh has the upper hand over other leaders of his generation by virtue of being the party chief, he is not seen as a natural successor to Atal Behari Vajpayee and Advani, the two stalwarts responsible for creating the party.
Those questioning his authority include former president M. Venkaiah Naidu, general secretaries Sushma Swaraj, Arjun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar. They are accused of creating hurdles for Singh and lose no opportunity in trying to corner him within the party.
Fanning dissent
In retaliation, the Rajnath faction is also creating problems for them by openly fanning dissent.
Party general secretary Gopinath Munde's recent resignation drama was planned by the Rajnath faction, which came out in his support.
Munde emerged victorious in his war with the Maharashtra state unit president Nitin Gadkari who is considered close to the anti-Rajnath faction.
Two contenders
Lal Krishna Advani, being projected as the NDA's prime ministerial candidate, is among the founding members of the BJP. He began his political career as assistant to Atal Behari Vajpayee when he first became member of Lok Sabha in 1957 before rising through the ranks to become President of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the post he held until the BJS was merged into the Janata Party in 1977.
- Although Advani had his share of problems with Vajpayee, the problems were sorted out when Vajpayee nominated him as Leader of Opposition on 2004 and insisted that he be projected as the next prime minister of the opposition.
- Advani never felt comfortable with Rajnath Singh, who replaced him as the BJP president in December 2005, although Advani himself does not want his loyalists to intensify fight with his successor fearing its impact on his prospects to become the next prime minister.
Rajnath Singh was a surprise choice of the parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to replace Advani as the party president in 2005. He was considered close to Vajpayee and got the post since he was not seen as being too ambitious. He was preferred over some of his better known peers like Pramod Mahajan, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, M Venkaiah Naidu and Uma Bharti.
- Singh, 56, rose through the ranks and held various posts including state unit president of Uttar Pradesh, president of party's youth wing, national general secretary, Uttar Pradesh chief minister and central minister before becoming the BJP president. He is since been fighting a war to get himself accepted as a worthy successor to Vajpayee and Advani.
|
