Advani's hunt for the seat of power

Rajeev Deshpande
20 March 2014, 06:19 PM IST

At a stage in life where most contemplate calmer pursuits, LK Advani is consumed by a fire that refuses to die out. If at all, ambition seems to be burning even brighter than it did in 2009 when he was BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

Advani does not seem to believe that having had his shot at the top job, he should settle for a supporting role in 2014. Rather his attempt to migrate from his Lok Sabha seat of Gandhinagar to Bhopal only indicates a desire to be the main draw even as his 2009 rival Manmohan Singh has announced his retirement.

There is a sense of entitlement at work here. Advani had, after all generously, pitched for Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM in 1995 despite the stardom bestowed on him by the Ram rath yatra.

Advani said while the Ram temple movement proved a major mobiliser, it was Vajpayee's moderate image that attracted a critical 2-5% additional votes that transformed BJP into a winner from an also ran.

It was an inspired decision. Vajpayee's government lasted 13 days in 1996 but it led to six years of NDA rule from 1999 to 2004.

But some where along the way, Advani felt that it was payback time. The RSS persuaded a reluctant Vajpayee to make Advani deputy PM. The change of baton was to take place after the 2004 election.

Fate intervened, and BJP suffered a crash defeat. Worse, despite an ordinary tenure, Manmohan Singh got the better of Advani in the 2009 prime ministerial contest.

After 2009, UPA 1's can of worms burst. 2G and Coalgate became synonymous with corruption in high places. Price rise, till then not an election issue, began to bite the Centre with renewed vigor.

But suddenly, Advani was no longer the man of the moment. His one time protege Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi began to energise the BJP base and unbelievably the political untouchable became the new saffron talisman.

Over the last year, Advani has resisted Modi's rise at every step. His attempt to abandon Gandhinagar for Bhopal is an attempt to vehemently announce that he is not dependent on the Gujarat CM's support to win an election.

It also serves to remind every one of his differences with Modi and his unabashed belief that he, more than anyone else, is suited for the leadership role.

If considered carefully, irrespective of Modi's arrival, Advani sun set after Congress won 206 seats in 2009. There are no half way houses in politics and being almost there is no consolation.

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