Advani out, Varun is the new star on BJP horizon

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Mr Lal Krishna Advani must be a troubled soul these days. Varun's 'Zehreeli CD' was the last thing he wanted to happen at a time when all his energies are channelised towards projecting a secular image to qualify for the country's coveted post of prime minister.

The damage has been done already. Varun's indictment has put Advani and his party on the back foot. Though the party is loathe to admit EC could have reached an unbiased, fair and unanimous decision but in a body of three election commissioners singling out an election commissioner for having bulldozed his decision on the other two is ridiculous. If at all, it is Gopalaswamy who has been accused of sitting over certain controversial decisions with a view to favour the BJP. And lo and behold the same BJP is now questioning the judgement of the Election Commission.

For the BJP this is not the time to show its might against the EC. But to take on political opponents who are going to embarrass the party no end, pulverize its argument and put the party in a no-win situation by harping on Varun's brand of virulent communalism.

EC's suggestion to BJP to withdraw Varun's candidacy has triggered off a debate whether EC could sit on moral judgement on any party, become its political advisor and deny tickets to a candidate a party wants to field. But leave that point of debate aside for a moment. Regardless of EC's remarks there are questions the BJP will have to ask itself. If an aatm-manthan (introspection) has to be done it has be done right away. The question is of vital importance to the nation's polity and the idea of secular republic so bequeathed to us by our political forefathers.

Therefore, Mr Advani, you should persuade your party to deny Varun party ticket for the following reasons:

One, just as the BJP had agreed to put it's three controversial issues on the back-burner, at the persuasion of its allies, to run the NDA government, it's time for the party to re-affirm to its allies that Varun-like of communalism is simply not approved of. If you can put behind Article 370, Uniform Civil Code and Ram Mandir issues you can easily tick off Varun in your bid to projecting a secular image for prime ministership.

Two, if a visit to Pakistan can turn Jinnah secular in the eyes of Advani by the same reverse logic Varun should be branded as communal. Mr Advani can't and should not take the criticism of double-speak. And drop Varun forthwith.

Three, if Mr Advani wants to lead the country of 120 crore people, it includes those 20 crore Muslims who are equal partners in the right to exercise their franchise. Even though a very microscopic muslim minority will vote for BJP (may be in certain scattered pockets) Mr Advani should still tell Varun, "Better luck next time son."

And lastly, Mr Advani must at least once live up to the party's tag line - party with a difference. Here's your chance to make a difference to Indian polity by dropping Varun from Pilibhit. The destiny is goading you to be the change Mr Advani. Grab it before it gets too late.

But here is why Mr Advani may just lose out on this count and back rabid rabble-rouser like Varun as the party's prime choice from Pilibhit.

Mr Advani's hold on the party has weakened over the years. The students he nurtured in his nationalistic classroom have become too smart for the 82-year-old, old-fashioned headmaster. The new masters of classroom have taken over the black-board and scribbling a new chapter of Hindutva which Advani as a front-bencher is not being able to comprehend. The writing on the black wall says mind your own business Mr Advani. Leave the party to us. Leave Varun to himself. And you concentrate on realizing your much-cherished goal of becoming country's prime minister.

His long time pal and mentor has been out of active politics and not keeping well. Working in the shadows of Atal Behari Vajpayee, Advani learnt the art of projecting a secular image with your moors firmly entrenched on the ideological shores. By the time Mr Advani could master the art himself he found his mentor away from the arc lights, his movement restricted to the confines of his cosy house.

The forces which were at work after Mr Advani's return from Jinnah's Pakistan are the same which now hold sway over the party. They interpret secularism not the way Advani did in case of Jinnah. So, among believers Mr Advani stands completely isolated in the party as the man aspiring for the country's top job. It's quite possible, therefore, that he may get isolated on Varun issue also should he take a line contrary to his party's. That leaves Mr Advani to happily toe the party line and allow the youngster to coin his own pro-Hindutva and anti-minorities mantra.

The agitation against cow slaughter in the 60s and the Ram Mandir andolan in the 80s and 90s were the chief weapons of BJP in reaching out to Hindutva forces and created a niche vote bank. Though it was anti-minority in form it basically played on the "repressed sentiments" of the majority Hindus. Vajpayee, Kedar Nath Sahni, Balraj Madhok , Advani & sons were too happy living out that image back then. Now with Pakistan-backed terrorism having become the chief electoral issue, minority bashing is the most potent political weapon for the GenNext BJP under the aegis of Narendra Modi. Mr Advani has lost out to his own brand of politics he helped spawn in the 80s. Therefore he has the least moral courage to tell Varun to his face, boy this is not done. You are crossing the Laxman rekhal

A Priyanka Gandhi can tick Varun off and advise him to read and follow Gita. Her advise to her estranged cousin carries the moral authority of what the Gandhi family "lived and died" for. (Obviously Priyanka is excluding Uncle Sanjay from this exclusive club of Gandhis because her uncle lived bending principles Gandhis and Nehrus stood for and even in death defied norms to fly an aircraft he was not licensed to fly) But a Advani appears too helpless to summon the moral courage, speak out and disturb the status-quo. There was a time when his brand of politics dramatically changed the status-quo mindset of the nation into thinking saffron. Now his days have passed. Messers Vajpayee and Advani led BJP into the 21st century but will have to bow out to Varun who is the new star on the BJP firmament. Mr Advani must be a troubled soul these days.