Anil Anand
Is there a storm brewing within the BJP spearheaded National Democratic Alliance (NDA)? On the face of it, yes. An indicator of this rustling going on within the formidable ruling alliance is provided by the tried and trusted allies squirming without any attempt from the BJP top brass (read Prime Minister Narendra Modi) to mollify or at least take them into confidence.
After objecting, fuming and fretting for months Telegu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu decided to pull the plug and withdraw his two ministers from Modi Government. Unexpectedly, it was matched by BJP taking a similar course of withdrawing its Ministers from Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh Government paving way for a tit for tat policy. So, the chasm is clearly visible though the breaking point is still a step away. The question arises whether TDP will finally quit NDA?
The TDP is not alone which is smarting under the new found political muscle of Modi-Amit Shah duo after the BJP’s successive electoral wins across the country. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Orissa, Shiv Sena in Mahrashtra, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab etc fall in the category of the BJP most trusted allies in the NDA ever since the conglomerate came into existence. But during the past three years their protestations have grown louder ostensibly for want of attention and some of them have started moving out. The BJD is already but informally out of NDA, Shiv Sena is losing no opportunity to attack PM Modi and BJP and so is SAD led by one of the senior most politicians of the country, Prakash Singh Badal.
After all why are these tried and trusted NDA allies angry with the current BJP leadership? Is it due to the usual ally pressure resulting out of the supporting parties demanding extra pound of flesh or in other words the more demanding allies? Or is there something more to it than exerting and coping with the ally pressure.
The allies are clearly jittery and the reason behind this panic is the growing political landscape of BJP under Modi and Shah and the duo’s unrelenting search to expand the saffron base irrespective of the ally presence. They have been upfront in stating that BJP would like to grow on its own thereby conveying in unequivocal terms to the allies that space for them was shrinking within the NDA.
Such a situation probably has left with allies with no choice but to flex muscles and if their protests go unheard chart on a separate political course. In Orissa BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik realised it well in time, before the 2019-Assembly elections, that BJP was intending to challenge his might and try and capture Orissa electorally. The TDP is currently suffering from the same syndrome and so is Telengana Rashtriya Samithi in the neighbouring Telangana.
These allies are finding themselves caught in a paradoxical situation for reasons that NDA-I and NDA-II of which they have been consistent partners, have turned out to be different in many respects. More importantly they are finding themselves caught between the styles of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, ever willing to adjust and provide space to even the smaller allies, and Narendra Modi, more focused on the expansion of his own party and not willing to give an inch to the partners.
The BJP and its top leaders are well within their rights to expand their base and in times to come to go solo. Certainly they are emboldened by the party flag fluttering in 21 states after garnering strong majority in last Lok Sabha elections. But there certainly is a case to pause for a moment and mull over the contribution of these allies also in making NDA in what it is today. The BJP also grew from strength to strength with the aid and support of the supporting parties before it reached a situation to emerge as the top political party of the country.
If politics is an art of the possible, it is also a craft of the brute where none could be spared for coming in the way growth and expansion. The current BJP dispensation is clearly following the second dictum. From the day Modi came to power, there have been stories galore in Delhi’s power corridors about his business like and no-nonsense approach towards senior alliance leaders which was a departure from Vajpayee era. If these reports are any indication the leaders have been finding it hard to have an audience with the Prime Minister leave alone seeking redressal of their grievances, genuine or otherwise.
The scenario could be better summarised by grand old politician Badal’s observation when he was asked as to why he had stopped visiting Delhi in a departure from his regular visits during Vajpayee’s rule. ” Wahan izzat hi nahin hai, jaa kar kya karna hain” was how one of SAD leaders was heard quoting Badal. The fact that Naidu despite his best efforts has not been able to meet Modi, conveys a similar story.
In the backdrop of these developments and strong feelings, there is no doubt in stating that the NDA will not be the same in next year’s general elections. Even some of the protesting allies fall short of quitting the combine, they will have to smart under the big-brotherly attitude of the BJP as against the spirit of equality of the Vajpayee-Advani era.
The catch for allies lies in the answer to the question if BJP will be able to pull it alone in the general elections. May be the outcome of Assembly elections in Karnataka followed by Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Rajasthan bring some clarity on this BJP-allies relationship.
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
Follow our WhatsApp channel