BJP chief Rajnath Singh (L) and former party leader Kalyan Singh (R) at the Parliament. — PTI
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New Delhi, June 9
A clear and open disagreement appears to be developing between the camp followers of Leader of Opposition LK Advani and the traditional RSS/BJP leaders on several fundamentals, including Hindutva, as well as Advani’s ability to lead the party.
Advani’s close aide and confidant Sudheendra Kulkarni, who guided Advani’s poll campaign throughout the last general elections, blamed Hindutva and implicitly the RSS and even the BJP leadership for the defeat of the party and the inability of Advani to get elected as the Prime Minister.
On record, Advani and the BJP have “distanced” themselves from Kulkarni’s “analysis” in which he had alleged that the BJP was “enfeebled” by so much “disarray” at the top never before witnessed in its history and Advani himself “failed” to assert his leadership at “crucial points”.
He cited “confusion over Hindutva, failure to overcome the party’s limited social base, negativism in its campaign and a leadership in disarray” for the defeat. He also called upon the BJP to “Rethink its approach to Muslims, Hindutva, the poor, the RSS and itself.”
Kulkarni even mentioned Varun Gandhi episode, contributing to the “consolidation of Muslim votes in favour of the Congress in UP,” as also the cropping up of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s projection as the future prime ministerial candidate.
Immediately, BJP deputy parliamentary party leader Sushma Swaraj reacted saying, “Whatever Sudheendra Kulkarni has written are his personal views as an independent journalist. The BJP and Advaniji personally dissociate from these comments.” But she refused to commit herself to any action against Kulkarni for this act.
Significantly, Kulkarni’s outburst comes soon after RSS ideologue MG Vaidya blamed Advani for failing to enthuse and inspire Hindus.
Vaidya quoted an unnamed BJP MP from Bastar to say that Advani was one of the causes for the defeat of the BJP in this election.
