Advani wants to hang on

The RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s mantra that “the BJP can rise from the ashes” has started to show some impact on top party leaders. They are now looking for a medium term revival plan, rather than just ad-hoc fire-fighting measures. A change in the leadership is inevitable. But it’s not going to happen immediately, as speculated in a section of the media. It will happen without a public display of blood-letting.

What this means is that BJP president Rajnath Singh will complete his term. The process of finding a successor for him has begun. In fact, it began after four senior BJP leaders — M Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar —met Bhagwat Friday evening. Sources said these leaders also listed their grievances against Rajnath Singh.

The final succession plan may hold surprises. The new president could even be chosen from outside the closed circle of Delhi-based BJP leaders. Once that process is through, Advani could take the mantle of “elder statesman”. 

The transition roadmap was discussed by the RSS chief with the leader of the opposition, LK Advani on Saturday afternoon at Jhandewalan, Sangh headquarters in Delhi. BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi also gave his opinion to Bhagwat. Contrary to Bhagwat’s public posturing, the RSS is deeply involved in formulating a succession plan.

Sources said both the BJP and RSS were aware of the “mistakes committed in the past” and this time around they want to ensure greater application of mind. The leaders from the two organizations would work in tandem to come to a conclusion. 

A senior leader said Advani was deeply hurt by the all-out attack against him by his “own friends” who swore by him and his leadership till the other day. But he is not inclined to abdicate his responsibility, at least at this stage and let his detractors proclaim their victory. Sources said Advani will choose the timing of relinquishing his current Constitutional post in the Lok Sabha. It could happen around the time of election of a new party president and constitution of an orgaisational team. He could then make it appear as part of a composite revival plan. A new role for Advani is being worked out by his supporters, most of whom are members of the BJP’s core group.

Despite attacks from various quarters, a seasoned Advani is maintaining complete silence in public. He will speak his mind at an “appropriate time”. Advani is taking solace from Bhagwat’s mantra that the party will rise from the ashes and the fact that he has been through difficult times in the past - the untimely death of Deen Dayal Upadhaya, the BJP getting reduced to just two in the Lok Sabha in 1984, and the post-Jinnah in-house turmoil. Also, this time, the second rung leaders have rallied round him and come out in his support.

Explaining the well-orchestrated attack against Advani from the likes of Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and Brajesh Mishra, a senior BJP leader told Dainik Bhaskar: “It’s an irony that if the BJP had come to power, they all would have become ministers. Even as they have played out their innings, they are angry that Advani named Arun Jaitley as leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha.”

On attacks from outside the party, he said, “Advani has always been the target of the so-called liberals and political rivals. They think if Advani is demolished, then the BJP could be marginalised.”

As for the succession plan at the organisational level, it could even throw up a surprise. Nobody in the party is sure yet. “The next party president’s term would be valid till 2012. The actual bidding would be for the term after 2012, for that would be when the party leader for the 2014 parliamentary elections would be projected,” a senior leader pointed out.