STATE BJP LEADERS SUPPORT MARGDARSHAKS
By Arun Srivastava
The BJP high command might have singled out Shatrughan Sinha for accusing Narendra Modi and Amit Shah responsible for electoral debacle of the party in Bihar election, but the fact is he is not lone campaigner against the leadership.
No doubt Sinha has been outspoken and has taken the lead in criticizing Modi-Shah combination, there are at least six members of Parliament who have openly questioned Modi and Shah’s leadership efficacy. They share the views of the allies that BJP leaders, especially those brought in from outside to manage polls by Modi and Shah had created a mess. These leaders, especially from Gujarat and Rajasthan had forced the party to accept their views that the party should target Lalu Yadav. By doing so it would be able to sway and split a fair percentage of RJD’s Yadav vote bank. Primarily this was the reason that BJP fielded at least two dozen Yadav candidates and even Modi tried to identify himself with them. But this tactic boomeranged.
Modi did not even bother to consult the state leaders on some basic issues. The state leaders have been critical of Modi for targeting Lalu as his prime enemy. This strategy according to them backfired. The Yadavs rallied behind Lalu. It was only after the first two phases did the BJP realise that the ploy had miserably failed; and that the Muslim-Yadav combination was solidly consolidating behind the Mahagathbandhan. Borrowing the RSS political line on Muslims proved costly to the BJP.
The six MPs and a host of the state leaders are also critical of the manner in which the party steered the campaign. These leaders want a thorough probe into the reasons for their failure to motivate the rank and file and to reach out to the electorates. They emphasize on complete revamping of the state unit of the party. It does not reflect the participatory character of the organization. The neglect of the state leaders by Modi and Shah has been a major issue. They allege that the two leaders acted on the advice of a couple of state leaders who do not have mass following.
With rumblings in the BJP getting shriller these leaders have highlighted the mistakes during the campaign and demanded fixing of responsibilities. Following in the footsteps of the senior leaders – LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Shanta Kumar and Yashwant Sinha — the party MPs Bhola Singh, Rama Devi, Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, Hari Manjhi, Ashwani Choubey and Ajay Nishad have expressed displeasure over style of functioning of the party leaders and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remark over “reservation review”.
For some the revolt by BJP veterans may not be more than mere grumbling of old and outdated leaders, but it has come as a moral booster for the state BJP leaders, interestingly even to a section of the RSS cadres and swayamsevaks. This has also come as a major reprieve also for the leaders of NDA allies who were feeling suffocated and marginalized.
Leaders of the Lok Janshakti Party, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party and HAM allege that the Modi-Shah duo never held a comprehensive strategy session with them and even their suggestions were not given due importance. Though the BJP leadership exchanged notes their role was not more than of passive onlooker. Shah would chalk out the strategy and they were supposed to follow it. These leaders cite the observation of Shah that if the BJP loses the Bihar elections crackers would burst in Pakistan. They argue that it simply hurt the feelings of the Bihari people and conjured the Muslims to unite against the BJP.
They lament that Modi and Shah could not correctly read the psyche and mood of the backward caste people as well as Muslims of Bihar. It was their abrasive attitude and use of abusive language that alienated the backwards, Dalits, EBC and Muslims. The allies together had contested more than eighty seats but could manage to win only five seats.
While these leaders have preferred to keep a low profile and have adopted the policy to wait and watch, the real challenge has been thrown by the state BJP leaders who feel enthused with the veterans under the leadership of patriarch LK Advani raising the banner of revolt. Unlike allies the BJP leaders are vocal.
Modi should have known that Muslims of Bihar are not like Muslims of western UP. They are an integral part of the Bihari social life. But Modi and Shah targeted them and even frequently referred to the Darbhanga module of the terrorists. This simply turned the Muslims skeptical.
Of the six MPs, Bhola Singh, MP from Begusarai has been quite critical. According to him poll outcome has proved that the Modi magic is “not durable“. While terming as “undignified” the speech of the Prime Minister during Bihar campaign, he said, “The situation emerging during Parliamentary elections had helped ‘Modi magic’ create an impression among voters… but it’s nowhere to be seen now when the situation has become normal… Bihar poll outcome has proved that Modi magic is not durable.” He also criticized Shah as “drunk with power he was always seen surrounded by sycophants.” He endorsed Shatrughan’s comment, “Taalikaptanko to gaalibhikaptanko. Leadership should be one in which everybody has astha (faith) which is lacking at present”.
Another State party MP, Nityanand Rai, said, “Mr. Amit Shah should not have raised the issue of Pakistan. Remarks made by some leaders cost the party heavily.” Maharajganj MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Gopalgunj MP Janak Ram said the party “needs to introspect”.
Normally, in case of elections to the assemblies the state leaders need to be involved as they identify with the aspirations of the voters and articulate their feeling. They can enthuse the people to vote for the party. But in the case of Bihar, Shah put Modi on the gamblers’ table. These leaders nurse the regret that if local leaders had been inducted some 10-20 more seats could have won. The change in campaign strategy was also carried out in a whimsical manner. It was done only after receiving reports of not so positive feedback.
These leaders feel that a instead of hiding behind the façade of “arithmetic” the central leaders should carry out a thorough probe and fix the responsibility. In Bihar’s case no other leader except Modi and Shah should be held responsible. They are feeling a sense of remorse that a section of the leaders, close to Modi, have been trying to provide cover to them. They seek to know: Was the arithmetic not known before the counting day, and yet why did every BJP leader declare that the party would get an absolute majority? If arithmetic decided elections, how did the BJP win 22 of the 40 seats in Bihar in the Parliament election of 2014? There is a growing feeling in the state unit that Modi must not take directions from RSS and instead involve real liberals and democrats.
It is over reliance on RSS and tendency to appease the Sangh leadership that was the prime reason of the BJP’s defeat. How could the central leaders explain someone challenging the very idea of India and allowing the fundamentalist elements to ridicule the idea: “Abdul Kalam was a nationalist despite being a Muslim”, “Shah Rukh Khan may live in India, but his heart is in Pakistan”, “denigrating army men, the return of awards by writers is a manufactured protest” Modi addressed election rallies in 26 constituencies. The BJP lost in 13. The BJP drew a blank in 13 out of 38 districts of Bihar. It was a crushing defeat. (IPA Service)