“I do not want to run a dynasty. Jayant may win the election easily and become an MP. But I will not allow him to fight.”
This was the reply senior BJP leader LK Advani is supposed to have made to a proposal from Ahmedabad’s then MP Harin Pathak that his son, Jayant, should fight the elections from the constituency. This has been revealed in a recent book, “32 years with Advani”, by former journalist Vishwambhar Srivastav, a close aide of Advani through his tumultous political career.
Srivastav’s association with Advani began in 1973 when the latter became president of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and continued, with a few interruptions through to 2005. Thus Srivastav’s account, which is generally positive, traces Advani’s career through important events such as the Emergency, his stint as home minister and leader of the opposition, his relations with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and so on.
However, Advani’s close associate Deepak Chopra issued a statement earlier in the day clarifying that “the book did not have the consent of LK Advani and has been published against his wishes”.
Another important revelation from Srivastav are events during the Babri Masjid demolition of December 6, 1992. Srivastav, who was with Advani on that day in Ayodhya, reveals that the leader was stationed that day on the roof-top of a house over-looking the Babri Masjid structure from where he was to address the karsevaks.
“But just as he started speaking someone came and told him that some karsevaks had climbed on top of the domes to plant a saffron flag. Advani told them again and again to get off after they had unfurled the flag...’ Please do not do anything that we might be ashamed of later.’ Advani then sat down on his chair. He sent Pramod Maharaj to speak to the karsevaks. Later Pramod Maharaj said that the karsevaks had dug up the foundation of the structure so that it might topple at any moment. Upon hearing this a look of sadness suffused Advani’s face,” the book relates.
