Amulya Ganguli
The change of guard in Karnataka is yet another example of how the regional satraps are becoming more important in the BJP than the central leaders. The transformation is only to be expected in the terminal stages of the Atal Behari Vajpayee-L.K. Advani era. As long as these two stalwarts were there, the party’s politicians at the provincial level played a subservient role. Now, they have begun to assert themselves.
The first to do so was Narendra Modi. Now, it is the turn of B.S. Yeddyurappa. It also has to be noted that leaders like Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh and Shivraj Singh Chauhan in Madhya Pradesh have been enjoying a free run in their states although their low key style, unlike Modi’s and Yeddyurappa’s, keeps them out of the public eye at the national level. But, there is little doubt that they regard themselves as masters in their domains who have little time for the central leaders.
While this transfer of authority from the central to the states can be said to be in conformity with the country’s federal norms, what will be worth noting in the coming days is how this will affect the BJP’s functioning. As a supposedly centralized party, which depends on the cadres provided by the RSS and affiliated organizations like the VHP, Bajrang Dal and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyathi Parishad to spread its message, the BJP is a right-wing version of the communist parties with an emphasis on discipline, ideology and a dedicated band of followers.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
