Kaun banega Pradhan Mantri?
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LK Advani is officially pulling out of the race for prime ministership. Or is he? He has said he's happy as a party worker. An ambiguous but significant statement. Is he yielding to pressure from the RSS? He needs the Sangh's support for his yatra against corruption...but the RSS isn't happy with the move that many saw as his attempt to come back to the forefront. Age isn't on his side. The Sangh isn't either. And even the party has wasted no time in welcoming the announcement. Not wanting to be Prime Minister only adds to his stature as a leader, said a BJP spokesman.
But where does that leave the party where second rung leaders continuously play a game of musical chairs... they call it a democratic setup as against the Congress' dynastic politics.. but how much does it help? With the likes of Narendra Modi, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley in the fray.. the BJP seems to be caught in a bind.. if they declare a candidate, it may lead to infighting between the heavyweights vying for the top spot. If they don't name a candidate, they run the risk of sending out an unconvincing message to the electorate.. who will be the face of their campaign?
Even as the main Opposition party, the BJP has lost many opportunities...ceding the space to the civil society when it came to the issues of corruption and black money. With the govt virtually on the mat after a string of scams, the BJP's contribution seemed to be limited to making scathing statements and getting the Parliament adjourned. It's time they tried to convert the collective public angst into votes...and the first step towards that would be to put their house in order.
More about Palki S Upadhyay
Palki S Upadhyay has been working with CNN-IBN since June 2005. An MA in Journalism and Mass Communication from Rajasthan University, she has worked part-time with Hindustan Times and Doordarshan. For regular CNN-IBN watchers, Palki is synonymous with the Breakfast With India show. This English Literature graduate, with a keen interest in global affairs, also anchors the weekend international news show World 360, along with Suhasini Haidar. She has also done special shows on Obama's presidential campaign, the US elections and has reported on Iraqi refugees and Tibetans in India. Palki went to school in Simla and Pilani, she loves reading and enjoys cooking and painting.
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