As things stand today, unless the BJP mucks it up badly,
victory in the 2014 elections is a given certainty. By all accounts, the BJP
and its allies will be in power after the 2014 elections. Thus building a pan-India appeal is an
absolute necessity. This is how the BJP can do it. Its National Executive and
its Parliamentary Board should be representative of India’s diverse population.
BJP should appoint well articulated spokesperson carefully picked from all the
different regions of India. BJP’s public faces must reflect this pan India appeal.
It must have a modern and developmental agenda for all sections of society and
for every Indian without forgetting India’s history or its roots. Ram Temple
and Ayodhya movements are a question of faith and should remain as such without
dislodging the developmental political agenda of BJP. If a grand Ram Temple is
built in Ayodhya every Hindu will be happy but it should happen without
contravening the law, without creating law and order problems, by brotherly
consensus of the principal opposing side, the Indian Muslims and the principal
political opposition, the Congress.
Ram Temple should be a issue with the BJP
always and not just during the elections, but it should be confined as a matter
of faith, and not politics. BJP should have a very active and influential
minority cell for the welfare of minorities like Sikhs, Jains, Budhhists,
Muslims and Christians. It should have proportionate representations in its
national executive from these faiths representing all areas of India. Persons
from these faiths should also hold key positions in the BJP hierarchy. Most importantly,
just like the Congress (and they must be commended for this), the BJP should
work in unison, in tandem. If any of its member is in trouble, the whole of BJP
should come to its support and help the stricken party. The entire BJP should
solidly stand behind its elected and appointed leader and should not do
anything to undermine his authority or stature. It should not be seen as
bickering and indulging in in-fighting. The old guard should graciously make
way for the new guard and the new guard should openly and publicly acknowledge
and thank the old guard for support and guidance. BJP should always play the
role of a constructive and mature opposition and should assist in all
development activities by the government for the welfare of the people of India
and for India. It’s not about Hindus and Muslims, Right vs Left, rich or the
poor, the haves and the have nots, inclusivity vs exclusivity. Its about India.
Why do I say this? Because, remember in
2004 when there was a clamour for Sonia Gandhi to become the prime minister but
the move was scuttled because the principal opposition, the BJP, led by Sushma
Swaraj vehemently opposed her candidature on the grounds of foreign origin
birth. She went to the extent of saying that to oppose Sonia Gandhi’s
candidature for the Prime Ministership she would sleep on the bare ground and
only eat roasted grams. So the moot point is this. Modi must smoothen his rough
edges, must become more amiable to allies and supporters within the party,
attack the Congress not viciously spewing venom and poison but targeting its
policies and programmes without heaping insult and scorn on its leaders. Its
worthwhile to remember that even if the BJP comes to power, the cooperation of
the principal opposition, the Congress, would still be necessary for the smooth
functioning of the house and the unobstructed passage of bills. Further, he
should not be seen as using people as stepping stones but should only acknowledge
the role of seniors who have given him this opportunity when he was a nobody.
Lastly, he should strongly condemn the 2002 riots in Gujarat and should do
everything to give justice to the aggrieved. But why the riots happened in the
first place, should also not be forgotten.
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