Let us talk about a party, whose previous generations and avatars languished on the margins of India’s political space for decades before certain events in 1992 brought it centre-stage. Today it is the most powerful political party in the country.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and its previous avatar, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, owe their existence to their unique ideology. But BJP certainly has to thank defectors, opportunists and carpetbaggers for its present status of a predominant political entity.
BJP has emerged as India’s paramount political force since 2014. This has happened because many seasoned politicians and respected intellectuals have joined the party over the decades. These prominent figures had earlier been associated with other political outfits, such as the Indian National Congress and the Janata Party, before defecting to BJS and BJP.
These political defectors to BJS and later BJP helped shape the party’s evolution and cementing its position as a major player in the Indian political landscape. Their stories give insights into BJP’s organisational structure, ideological foundations, and strategic decision-making that have contributed to its rise as a formidable political force.
Lal Krishna Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Architects of BJP’s Rise
Two of the most influential figures who laid the groundwork for BJP’s ascent were Lal Krishna Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Both men joined BJS in 1951 after leaving the Indian National Congress.
Advani played a crucial role in shaping the Jana Sangh’s Hindutva ideology and its confrontational approach to political issues. He helped expand the party’s base and articulate its core principles. These were later adopted by BJP. Advani’s leadership during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and the Rath Yatra in the 1990s cemented his status as the party’s star performer.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee emerged as the more pragmatic and moderate face of the BJS and the BJP. He became BJP’s founding president in 1980. His tenure as Prime Minister from 1998 to 2004 was marked by his efforts to project the party as a centrist, development-oriented political force. His inclusive leadership style and ability to forge alliances helped BJP expand its reach beyond its traditional strongholds.
The defection of these two stalwarts from the Congress to BJS in the early 1950s laid the foundation for BJP’s eventual rise. Their vision, organisational skills, and political astuteness shaped the party’s trajectory for decades to come.
Murli Manohar Joshi and the Intellectual Backbone
Another prominent figure who joined BJS in 1967 after leaving the Congress party was Murli Manohar Joshi, who was a physicist by training. Unlike Advani and Vajpayee, Joshi was not a typical politician. He was a respected academic and intellectual who brought a unique perspective to the party. He had a deep understanding of the Jana Sangh’s Hindutva ideology and its philosophical underpinnings. He played a pivotal role in BJP’s efforts to cultivate an intellectual following and establish its credentials as a party of thinkers and scholars, rather than just a political machine.
Joshi’s tenure as the Union Minister for Human Resource Development in the BJP-led government of the late 1990s and early 2000s was marked by his attempts to infuse the education system with the party’s ideological leanings. His initiatives, such as the revamping of textbooks and the promotion of Sanskrit and other traditional subjects, were aimed at aligning the country’s academic landscape with BJP’s vision.
The presence of intellectuals like Joshi within BJS and BJP lent the party an aura of intellectual respectability, helping it attract support from academics, professionals, and the urban middle class – a crucial demographic in the party’s quest for national dominance.
Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh: Defectors from the Janata Party
While Advani, Vajpayee, and Joshi had their origins in the Congress party, BJS and BJP also attracted prominent figures from other political outfits, such as the Janata Party. Two notable examples are Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh. They defected to BJS from the Janata Party.
Uma Bharti became a fiery Hindutva leader. After joining BJS in 1984, she served as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from 2003 to 2004. Her strident advocacy of Hindu nationalist causes and her involvement in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement contributed to BJP’s efforts to consolidate its support among the party’s core Hindu voter base.
Kalyan Singh, another Janata Party defector, joined the BJS in 1967. His defection to BJS and subsequent rise within BJP’s ranks helped to strengthen the party’s foothold in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh. Later, he became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Singh’s political career was marked by his staunch support for the party’s Hindutva agenda. He played a decisive role in the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992.
By including leaders like Bharti and Singh in its ranks, the BJP could widen and diversify its support base. The party demonstrated its ability to attract defectors from other political formations, even if they did not share BJP’s original ideological moorings.
Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj: The Party’s Organisational Architects
While BJS and BJP attracted several high-profile political defectors, the party’s success was also bolstered by the contributions of individuals who joined the party at an early stage and became key organisational architects.
Rajnath Singh joined BJS in 1974 after leaving the Lok Dal party. He emerged as a polar figure in BJP’s organisational structure. As the party’s National President from 2013 to 2017, Singh played a crucial role in strengthening the party’s cadre-based model. This helped in expanding BJP’s presence across the country. His adept management of the party’s internal dynamics and his ability to forge alliances with regional political forces contributed to the party’s electoral triumphs.
Sushma Swaraj joined BJS in 1973 after leaving the Janata Party. She served as the Union Minister for External Affairs from 2014 to 2019. Swaraj’s ability to connect with the masses helped BJP cement its position as a pan-Indian political force.
Intellectuals and Non-Political Personalities: Strengthening the BJP’s Ideological Foundations
The Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party also garnered the support of prominent intellectuals and non-political personalities who contributed to the party’s ideological development and public outreach.
One such figure was Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. He was a political philosopher who became the Jana Sangh’s key ideologue. Upadhyaya’s concept of “Integral Humanism,” which emphasised the harmonious integration of the individual, society, and the state, became a cornerstone of BJS and BJP’s worldview. His ideas influenced the party’s approach to economic and social policies. This helped in shaping the party’s unique brand of Hindu nationalism.
Another influential non-political figure was Nanaji Deshmukh. He was a social activist and a founding member of BJS. Deshmukh’s work in rural development and expanding the party’s grassroots network was crucial to connecting with the masses in the Hindi heartland.
BJS and BJP also attracted the support of prominent religious and spiritual leaders. Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati and Kushok Bakula Rinpoche lent their voices to the party’s Hindutva agenda and its positions on key national issues.
Including intellectuals, activists, and religious figures strengthened BJP’s ideological foundations. This also helped the party project an image of being a broad-based political movement, rather than a narrow, power-hungry entity. This multi-faceted approach to recruitment and outreach has been a crucial factor in BJP’s ability to expand its support base and cement its position as India’s dominant political force.
The Rise of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah: Consolidating the BJP’s Dominance
The rise of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in the 2010s has been instrumental in BJP’s recent electoral dominance.
Narendra Modi’s journey to the top echelons of BJP began in the early 2000s when he was appointed the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Although the 2002 pogrom brought Modi into sharp focus international, at home he gained a reputation for his strong leadership. His focus on development and efficient governance resonated with the state’s voters and led to successive electoral victories for BJP in Gujarat.
Modi’s charismatic rallies, catchy slogans, and promise of “development for all” struck a chord with the electorate during the 2014 general elections. BJP secured a decisive victory, winning a majority in the Lok Sabha. Modi was sworn in as India’s Prime Minister, a position he holds to this day.
PM Modi has sought to cement the BJP’s dominance and shape the country’s political landscape in line with the party’s Hindutva ideology. He has implemented a range of policies and initiatives that have garnered both praise and criticism. For example, demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax or GST, and the abrogation of Article 370 have generated controversies.
BJP has also benefited from the organisational skills and strategic acumen of Amit Shah, who is the current Union Home Minister. He is regarded as the architect of BJP’s electoral success, having played a crucial role in the party’s expansion across various states.
As the party’s National President and even afterwards, Shah has demonstrated his mastery in election management and party organisation. He has leveraged BJP’s cadre-based structure and networked model to strengthen the party’s presence at the grassroots level, enabling the party to conduct successful election campaigns across the country.
The combination of Narendra Modi’s charismatic leadership and Amit Shah’s organisational prowess has proven to be BJP’s force multipliers. Together, they have been able to capitalise on the party’s core principles, including its national approach, Hindutva ideology, and focus on development, to expand BJP’s reach and solidify its position as the dominant political force in the country. But, the Modi-Shah team has not been above criticism.
Challenges and Criticisms: Navigating the Changing Landscape
One of the primary criticisms levelled against the Modi-Shah duo is the perceived centralisation of power within the party. Critics argue that the decision-making processes have become opaque, with a few top leaders wielding disproportionate influence. This has raised concerns about the party’s internal democracy and the limited participation of grassroots workers in the decision-making process.
The BJP government’s crackdown on dissent and criticism has raised concerns about the health of India’s multi-party democracy. The news media has been completely subjugated. They have been reduced to status of pamphleteers and propagandists. There in not a single mainstream news channel that dares question the government’s wrongdoings. The example of Manipur is the starkest of them all. Human rights violations go unreported.
The arrests and criminal charges brought against activists, journalists, and opposition politicians have undermined the country’s claims of being a rights-respecting democracy. The government’s actions in blocking websites and social media accounts that are critical of the administration have also raised concerns about the shrinking space for free expression and dissent.
The party has been accused of using various mechanisms, such as selective targeting of critics, the use of government agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation, and the enforcement of restrictive laws like the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, to suppress opposition and civil society voices. The BJP’s dominance and the perceived weakening of checks and balances have led to debates about the health of India’s multi-party system. Some argue that the party’s overwhelming strength has the potential to marginalise other political parties and diminish the diversity of voices in the country’s political landscape.
Looking Ahead: Navigating the Evolving Political Landscape
It is really a wonder that the Bharatiya Janata Party continues to solidify its position as the dominant political force in India. The roles of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah remain central to the party’s future trajectory. Of course, the duo’s ability to adapt to changing political and social realities, while maintaining their core Hindutva principles, will be key to the BJP’s continued success.
The party’s performance in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be a crucial test for Modi and Shah. BJP’s ability to address the challenges posed by the ongoing debates about internal democracy, freedom of expression, and the health of India’s multi-party system will be crucial in shaping the country’s political landscape in the years to come.
The rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party as the predominant political force in India has been shaped by the defection of prominent politicians and intellectuals to the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the BJP over the decades. From the foundational figures of Advani and Vajpayee to the recent ascendance of Modi and Shah, the party’s trajectory has been marked by a strategic and adaptable approach to building a diverse support base and cementing its position as a force to be reckoned with in Indian politics. This policy of engineering defection continues. However, the quality of defectors has taken a serious dive. Opportunists, carpetbaggers and persons with questionable intellect, tainted with criminal and corruption, charges have been admitted to the party in droves.
The souls of Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Nanaji Deshmukh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati and Kushok Bakula Rinpoche must be writhing in the other world.
No comments:
Post a Comment