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>From a swayamsevak at 14 and a pracharak at 18, Lal Kishinchand
Advani steadily graduated to the post of Bharatiya Jan Sangh
president in 1973. In 1986, he became president of the Jan Sangh's
new avatar, the Bharatiya Janata Party, for the first time. But it
was only in 1990, when he embarked on his controversial rath yatra
to demand the building of a Ram temple at Ayodhya on the site of
the Babri Masjid, that he was able to emerge from Atal Behari
Vajpayee's shadow and create a niche for himself.
Though a hardliner himself Advani has appealed to moderates and
hardliners alike, thanks mainly to his clean, steadfast image. So
it was natural that Advani and the BJP got a terrible shock when
this very image was called into question in early 1996.. Advani was
among several Congress and opposition politicians who were named as
having received bribes from the Jain brothers in what came to be
known as the havala scandal.
But with the Delhi High Court recently quashing the charges against
Advani in the Rs 65 crore scandal, the BJP president has bounced
back to centrestage and is all set to strengthen its USP of chaal,
charitra aur chehra (direction, character, face).
Despite this positive, the BJP's attempts to forge a credible
"National Democratic Front" to stake its claim once again for
governance after the Deve Gowda government fell flopped. The party
found itself on the sidelines again as power returned to the very
hands that had seemed set to hand it over to the BJP on a platter.
SHIVANI SINGH spoke to the long-term prime minister-in-waiting
about this failure to nudge the UF out, the still-born NDF, and the
BJP's electoral prospects. Excerpts:
How do you perceive last fortnight's political drama? Do you think
It has damaged the country's political fibre?
We had predicted the fall of this government ever since the United
Front was formed. It was an opportunistic ganging up of parties to
form a government. They had fought elections on the anti-Congress
plank. Their anti-BJP disposition was only a farce.
Now, what seemed to have been wishful thinking on the Bharatiya
Janata Party's part has been proved correct. Even the common man
is conscious of the fact that the UF is not a viable alternative.
The factor which keeps those people together is also the factor
which divides them.
What will be the impact of I K Gujral's government on the country's
political scenario? How would you define this development?
The new government has inherited all the weaknesses, shortcomings,
and deficiencies of the previous one. All the back-biting and
mudslinging that had taken place in the last 10 days is bound to
affect its performance. Besides, the present prime minister is
under great pressure. I wonder how he will deal with all this.
Deve Gowda was still a politician. At the state level, he had
experienced certain pressures of this kind, if not at the national
level. Gujral has no such experience.
So how long do you think this government will last?
It won't last, that's for sure. Instability is built into this
structure. But how soon it will fall, one can't say.
What has the BJP gained from this crisis?
The last 10 months of the United Front government and the last 10
days of bickering within the United Front and the Congress have
given an immense boost to the BJP's image. The fine part is that
we did nothing in this regard.
Prior to these developments, it was believed that these
non-Congress parties could come together: occasionally, they could
even defeat the Congress. But it is only the Congress which could
give a stable government to the country. In these 10 months, this
"stability" card of the Congress, which has been its major
strength, has slipped out of its hands. And, as is very obvious,
this has been transferred to the BJP. Even the people have come to
believe that only we can provide stability. And all this is before
we have headed a central government. We are still to be put to the
test. So these developments have been a boon, a gift for us. I
can only thank them [the UF].
What is the BJP's strategy to deal with this government and the
present political situation? Surely the role of the opposition is
bound to change?
While the Congress was earlier supporting the government, it was
still maintaining some distance from the government's policies. So,
in a way, they were playing the role of opposition.
But now, when Sitaram Kesri has gone all out to justify his actions
by praising Gujral and the new set-up, they are taking the
responsibility of governance. In this situation, the entire field
of opposition is free for the BJP.
You have been saying that mid-term polls are round the corner. How
soon are they likely?
I will not say they are round the corner. But even last year, I
had predicted that there will be a mid-term poll in 1997. We just
escaped a mid-term poll because the president in his wisdom felt
that a mid-term poll so soon would not be in the nation's
[interest]. But I do not think a co-ordination committee can do
anything to give stability to the country.
Earlier the gang-up was to keep the BJP out. But this time, it is
to keep people out, to stop them from deciding as to who should
rule.
In the event of a mid-term poll, what will the BJP's stategy be?
If the elections had taken place now, which didn't happen, we would
have had a psychological advantage. People are in BJP's favour.
But if the elections take place six months from now, we will have
the time to get the psychological as well as organizational
advantage.
On 30 December last year, we had a meeting of 30 very senior
members of the party, representing all states. This was at Virar,
near Mumbai. We decided to observe 1997 as the organization year.
We were training our cadres, MPs, and even ministers, but in the
meantime came these developments. So, given some more time we can
garner the latter (organizational advantage) aspects in our favour.
Will this strategy Include alliances with regional parties?
We do not rule out the possibility of alliances, but we are not
aiming for them. My continued advice to our state units has been
not to indulge in any Political untouchability, but to strengthen
the party's appeal. With that basis, we will get alliances like we
have in the past. We did not go to any party for an alliance. They
came to us. Most regional parties have come to realize that it is
the BJP which has emerged as the principal challenge to the
Congress.
If In the next polls, a majority eludes you again, but you still
come up as the single largest party, wouldn't there be a need to
enter into formal alliances with some prominent regional parties?
I can only say that not only is the BJP optimistic about its
performance, but even the public and the press are. If you go by
opinion polls, if there is an election today, the BJP and its
allies will get a majority. My assessment is that another "Punjab"
(read: thumping victory) will happen.
How significant will be the National Democratic Front an idea
floated by Vajpayee in this regard?
Its pros and cons have not being discussed. It is a matter to be
considered. Some of our allies (read: Bahujan Samaj Party) also do
not want a formal front. I would not comment further because it
would mean that I am in favour of this front.
But a lot of your partymen feel that the emerging scenario is
favourable to garner support for this front in the southern states
where the party has consistently failed to break ground.
No, the support can be gathered otherwise. But for now, the BJP's
strategy is not aimed at this.
What will be the main issue for the BJP in the next elections?
The events preceding the elections by three months are usually the
foreground for the issues that have to be taken up. Issues cannot
be made to order by any political party. It depends on when
elections take place. But we will definitely emphasize that until
and unless there is probity at all levels in public life, the
country will not progress. Corruption is a major problem at this
time and we will take it up.
Within the party. will the focus on leadership change? So far,
Vajpayee has been projected as the prime minister. But now with
your acquittal In the havala case you will be back in the political
forefront, won't you?
No. Leadership means that I am the party president and my term is
until November. Vajpayee is the party's prime minister. In fact,
people often forget that. I made this announcement In November
1995 in Mumbai that if the BJP secures a majority to form the
government, Vajpayee will be the prime minister. The charges were
instituted against me in January 1996.
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