 "L K Advani's rath comes to a halt as RSS snubs BJP patriarch")
"In 2002 (after the Gujarat riots), Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on the dais and there were calls for Narendra Modi's resignation. Jaswant Singh too said Modi should quit. At that time, it was Advani who intervened and said that to insist on Modi's resignation would send a wrong signal. Vajpayee was overruled. But he didn't walk out of the party or announce his resignation. Now, Advaniji is saying people are pursuing personal agendas. Who is pursuing a personal agenda ? Not once has Narendra Modi said; 'make me Prime Minister'" said a Sangh leader. He said the only one who had a personal agenda was L K Advani.
"In this party, a lot of effort goes into creating consensus (sarvaanumati). Once it is created and you defy it, you are apt to be dumped," said a BJP leader with close connections with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, about the events leading up to Advani's political isolation. (L K Advani's political journey)
More From This Section
Sangh leaders likened Advani to his mentor, Balraj Madhok. It was Madhok who brought Advani to the Jana Sangh, on the strength of his capacity to draft documents. The towering leaders at the time were Deendayal Upadhyaya and Syama Prasad Mookerjee. But Madhok developed ideological differences with the Jana Sangh and was expelled. "Advani has invoked Upadhyaya and Mookerjee as the most influential leaders of the Jana Sangh and the BJP. But he has forgotten to name Balraj Madhok. Maybe because comparisons are odious," said a Sangh leader.
He said Advani's resignation was unexpected. "But what happens if a majority of the senior leaders reconcile themselves with Advani's decision?" he said.
Party leaders, however, said this was not the endgame. "If Narendra Modi can help the BJP in getting 250 seats, he will become a certain prime minister of the BJP. But if the BJP gets less than 250 seats, there will once again be a clamour for a 'secular' leader. Advani has his eyes fixed on that."