Editorial...

Now, Lotus blooms to serve South

Over the years political parties have throughout been apprehensive of the strength, stamina and ideology of Bharatiya Janata Party. Its detractors in their desperation gave it many names. They assigned many adjectives. It is a party of Brahmins-Banias, some said. Others saw it a party confined only to the North. When nothing worked and BJP continued to spread its wings in almost every nook and corner of the country, the unprincipled Congress and its opportunistic new-found allies, the Communists, labelled it a ‘communal’ organization. If we go back to the distant past, a similar irresponsible and unsubstantiated allegation was hurled when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in 1948. Such irresponsible charges may, for some time, shake an institution, society or a person, yet fail to deter them from their sense of integrity, honesty of purpose, commitment to ideology and nation. Ultimately they are triumphant because in the end it is the truth that prevails. What is required of such persons at such extraordinary moments is their sense of control, discipline, inspiration and discretion. Power should not serve as an intoxicant but an instrument of service to the nation. In democracy, Opposition is as important as is the government and the ruling party. It should be taken as a positive, constructive institution and not considered an evil to be avoided and if it fails to satisfy the whims of rulers, it should be gagged, punished and put behind bars. It is a message to all — the Congress in Karnataka, communists, DMK, AIDMK as also ‘communal’ outfits.

The political scenario that has recently emerged in Karnataka is a slap on the face of those who consider BJP as ‘untouchable’. It is equally a message to those who care a fig for the people’s mandate. Those who play a politics of hate, ill-will, bitterness, promote regionalism and dynastic ambitions, and venture to weaken nationalism should all learn a lesson from the Karnataka experience. The blooming of the lotus (Kamal) in the South is a proof of its spreading sphere of influence in the country. The wind of change that has started blowing from Karnataka will certainly sweep across other States in the South, West and North-East. BJP has played a significant role in bidding bye-bye to Shri Lalu Yadav in Bihar in the latter part of 2005 and to the Congress in Karnataka in the beginning of 2006. Shri Lalu was thriving on the support of Congress in Bihar and in Karnataka Congress was leading a coalition government. BJP has made the Congress-led UPA government subsisting on the crutches provided by opportunistic communists to see its face in the mirror that reflects their growing unpopularity. At that very moment when Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was boasting of his achievements in his Press Conference, the strings of strength and unity of the UPA alliance and government were getting loosened.

The UPA is under great stress, strain and turmoil. Because of the dumping of Shri Lalu Prasad in Bihar, dethroning of Congress in Karnataka, TRS tempers running high in Andhra, threat of Samajwadi Party to withdraw support, threat of NCP to come out of the coalition government in Goa, and ever increasing blackmail tactics by the Left parties together with the beating it received because of the Mitrokhin disclosures, Volcker report, and Quattrocchi scandal, this UPA government could any time crumble like a house of cards. This ragtag alliance of unnatural partners suffering from perennial inner contradictions and conflicts is alive only on the oxygen provided by their common fear of, antipathy and opposition to BJP.

Bharatiya Janata Party is running its governments on its own strength in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh. It is leading an NDA government in Jharkhand. In Bihar, Karnataka, Nagaland and Orissa it is playing the role of an important ally in governments.

In fact, in Karnataka for the last two years the Congress had usurped the people’s mandate denied to it during the Assembly elections. Both BJP and JD(S), though separately without any alliance, had sought to dethrone the Congress from the State. The electorate had voted BJP as the single largest party with 79 seats and JD(S) winning 59 seats. Ruling Congress was voted out of power with retaining just 64 seats. It was clearly a mandate against the Congress. Yet, the Congress contrived through an opportunistic alliance to keep BJP away from power. But for how long could the people’s mandate be ignored and insulted? Ultimately, Dharam Singh government fell because of its own inner contradictions and anti-people policies. The present Kumaraswamy government supported by BJP is actually the truly representative government commanding a clear mandate of the people.

People in all the BJP-ruled or BJP-supported States are satisfied and happy that their mandate has been respected. These governments have a great responsibility on their shoulders. They must address the problems facing the people immediately and on priority basis so that people in these States can say with a sense of pride that they have a government that belongs to the common man caring for his causes. The problems of electricity, water and road should be solved with lightning speed in these States. These governments should identify themselves with the farmer, the villager, the poor and the downtrodden. These sections have to be made to see the change and realize the difference.

As the area of influence of BJP spreads far and wide so does the weight of responsibility increase on the shoulders of its karyakartas. Therefore, they have to be more alive and alert about their duties and responsibilities. The leaders and karyakartas have to realize that their mission is to worship the people by offering flowers of their service. They have to return the favour of people’s support by ushering in an overall development. We have to be ready for the challenges ahead of us.

In the days to come, Congress-led UPA will face more and more difficult times. Congress will have to challenge Left parties in West Bengal and Kerala or, in the alternative, to lay prostrate before them to save UPA Government at the Centre. In Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry it will have to face AIADMK, DMK, etc. In Assam it has to pass through very trying times. The electoral results in these States at the moment are not expected to be favouring Congress. If BJP workers jump into the fray in these States as per a well-thought out strategy, the party is sure to make its presence felt on a grand scale to the discomfiture of Congress and Left parties in the same way as it did in Karnataka.

The BJP leadership needs to make the BJP-ruled and BJP-supported States to devote themselves in the service of the people with greater sense of commitment so that it emits a very positive message in the States going to polls. They should win greater people support and participation.

If BJP leadership succeeds in mobilising people, the day is not far when BJP-led NDA will once again guide the destiny of the nation. The expectation people have from BJP organisation and its government is different from Congress. This is because we are, and consider ourselves to be so. And since we claim to be different, we should appear to be so too. When that does not happen, we become a target of criticism. Therefore, we have always to establish and maintain our identity different in ideology and principles. Otherwise, we too shall get divided into different camps like other parties, and our nature too will mutate into that of members of such groups which is harmful to us, to the country and to the nation.