Advani's resignation: Who is pushing 'personal agendas'?

New Delhi, Jun 11: Advani's resignation has, in one sense, poured cold water over the euphoria that was generated among the rank and file of BJP after the anointment of Narendra Modi as the chairman of ‘election campaign committee' for 2014 general elections. But the moot question is –why did Advani do this? Should a leader who is seen as the ‘patriarch' wash his party's dirty linen in public? Now the entire world knows that Advani resigned because he was not in favour of handing over the entire responsibility of steering BJP's election campaign to Modi. Advani tried his best to scuttle the ascendance of Modi in the party hierarchy, but the party bowed to the tremendous pressure from the party cadres and did not pay any heed to Advani's reservations. Rajnath Singh, BJP president, made a very remarkable statement at the Goa meet of BJP. He said that handing over the leadership baton to Modi was something that justice demanded. He went on to add that only a person who commands the popularity amongst the cadre has the legitimate right to become the leader. He was obviously referring to the overwhelming preference for Modi that was evident among BJP rank and file. Every leader of BJP is aware of the fact that party's rank and file wants Modi , and nobody else, to be the party's face in 2014 elections. Under these circumstances, the decision of Rajnath Singh to elevate Modi was completely in tune with the party worker's aspirations and expectations.In fact, the credit should go to Rajnath Singh that he timely realized the sentiments of party workers and did not let them down. Rajnath's job was to play his best card in the upcoming general elections and he has just done the same. As on today, there is nobody in the BJP who could match the popularity or charisma of Narendra Modi. Various surveys have also substantiated this reality. So why is Advani not happy with this decision? In his resignation letter, Advani has mentioned that he is pained that some leaders are pursuing their personal agendas. But it seems that it's Advani himself who has become a prisoner of his own agenda. After failing in his attempt to stop the elevation of Modi in the party, Advani has started behaving like a bad ‘loser'. His resignation has given enough ammunition to the Congress for attacking the BJP and the party is today left red faced as it has no explanation as to why Advani has escalated things by making this internal battle public? Actually Advani today stands completely isolated and sidelined in the party on the issue of Modi's eevation. Even his staunch supporters like Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar and M Venkaiah Naidu have changed tack and have decided to blow with the wind. And the RSS has already put its weight behind Modi.In fact the RSS had made its mind long ago as far as Advani's role in the BJP is concerned. RSS has made it clear to Advani that he should be content with the role of a mentor and guide and that he should stop aspiring for the top job as he was already given a chance in 2009 that could not bear desired results. RSS passed on this message to Advani before his Jan Chetna Yatra of 2011. Advani also got the hint that it's Modi whom the RSS plans to groom as the next big leader of BJP. A crestfallen Advani gave in to RSS diktats at that time and publicly clarified that he is not aspiring for any public post. It was at that time that the rift between Advani and Modi further widened. The crack had first appeared when Modi refused to support Advani on his Jinnah remark. A miffed Advani had shifted the launch of his ‘Jan Chetna Yatra' from Gujarat to Bihar where Nitish Kumar flagged off his yatra. The way RSS vetoed Advani's PM ambitions disillusioned Advani from his party's parent organization. And Advani has not forgiven RSS for that. That's why Advani has been privately telling BJP leadership that the RSS should stop interfering in BJP's internal matters. But how can Advani object to this now, when he himself rode on RSS support for all his electoral achievements. Does it not amount to opportunism? He did not object to it as long as it suited his interests, but now he wants the RSS to stop meddling in BJP affairs because Modi, and not Advani, is their new poster boy. Nitish Kumar deserves a special mention here as he has played an important role in Advani's scheme of things. Political commentators have always believed that it was Advani's covert support that encouraged Nitish Kumar to take an overt anti-Modi stand. In other words, Advani used Nitish as a bulwark against Modi. What is interesting is the fact that Advani did not resign from the position of NDA chairman and it was a well calculated move. Advani knew that Modi will never be able to get a majority on his own and parties like JD(U) will play a crucial role in the post-election scenario. To make a last-ditch effort for realizing his lifelong ambition of becoming PM, it would be an opportunity for him to leverage his good equation with BJP's allies. Apart from Nitish Kumar, all other allies of BJP have made it clear that they have no problem with Modi. AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha, who is not a part of NDA, has already congratulated Modi and is widely expected to support Modi in a post-poll scenario. Advani is aware of all these realities, but still he decided to precipitate matters by orchestrating his resignation. Therefore, a closer analysis of the flow of events leaves very little to doubt that it's Advani who is pushing his personal agenda vigorously. It would have been better, had Advani accepted the reality gracefully, taken things in his stride and moved on. His desperation has caused severe damage to the reputation and credibility of his party. When the patriarch starts behaving like this, starts pushing his own agenda but blames others for the same, who would believe that it's a party with a difference? Advani may take back his resignation sooner or later but the damage has already been done. And there is only one person to blame – L K Advani.