Sangh shrugs off role, NDA gets the jitters

While the BJP's Parivar head, the RSS, seemed keen to distance itself from th e crisis that party President LK Advani's resignation has wrought, its NDA allies, on the other hand, are not so willing to look the other way.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghchalak K S Sudershan has said Advani's resignation was an "internal matter" of the BJP.

This runs contrary to the impression that it was RSS' insistence on Advani recanting his statement of Jinnah that forced his resignation. It was also believed that the party's second rung of leadership, over which RSS has significant hold, had revolted against Advani.

In fact, even the praise that Sudershan had heaped upon Advani appeared to be a way of consigning Advani to history. "He has done a lot for the BJP and his contribution cannot be overlooked," said Sudershan.

Significantly, the RSS chief preferred to stay in Mumbai, away from the action at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. He refuted the allegation that Advani had been made to resign after pressure from the RSS. "There is no question of our pressurising Advani to resign," he said.

The other Sangh Parivar constituent, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, remained defiant in its criticism of Advani. The BJP president was reportedly most hurt by VHP leader Praveen Togadia branding him a traitor.

Today, senior VHP leader Acharya Giriraj Kishore said that he was ready to apologise to Advani for Togadia's remarks although he did not see "how the remark offended Advani".

But perhaps the most significant has been the criticism of Advani levelled by leaders of the BJP itself. Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha said the description of Jinnah as secular was "erroneous".

Not just that he also said Advani needed to reconsider his position as the leader of the Opposition. "Advaniji has to decide whether he would be able to lead the party effectively in the Opposition," he said.

In fact, these kind of statements along with the refusal of the entire second rung of leadership of the BJP to explain his Jinnah statement on June 5, is what has made Advani quit the post of BJP president.

It is ironic that the only firm support he seems to have got is from a man many consider to be his political rival, former prime minister AB Vajpayee.

Advani's resignation appears to be a crisis in the National Democratic Alliance. One of its main constituents, the Janata Dal (United), today said the resignation was no internal matter of the party, and that they would hold a meeting at NDA convener George Fernandes' residence tomorrow to discuss the issue.

JD(U) Secretary-General K C Tyagi said in a statement that the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar had prompted the meeting.

"The JD(U) considers the views expressed by the allied institutions of the BJP (the VHP and RSS) and its leaders as against the basic principles on which the NDA was formed. They reflect only their narrow mindedness. The JD(U) cannot remain a silent spectator to the developments," he said.

The JD(U) is the only party in the NDA that has sprung to Advani's defence. The Biju Janata Dal leader and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik washed his hands off saying it was the BJP's internal matter.

Ally Shiv Sena was muted in its criticism. However, the party too termed the present crisis in the BJP as a confusion over ideology, "which happens sometimes."