'Neither Rome nor Ram, today's issue is stability'

The BJP President, L.K. Advani, is understandably angry that a news agency misreported him in Vijayawada on December 28 and quoted him as saying that the Mathura and Kashi disputes were very much on the party's agenda. It has taken the BJP a great deal of nimble footwork to dispel the impression that it is a single-issue party wedded to furthering communal antagonism. As such, even the slightest suggestion that the robust war cries of Jai Shri Ram will be overwhelmed by new, bloodcurdling chants of Har har Mahadev is enough to disorient those floating voters who have decided that the BJP is the best bet this election.Advani was lucky that the damage from this misrepresentation was nominal. But he cannot count on his luck holding throughout a long and vicious campaign. If the BJP maintains its initial momentum, it is more than likely that its "secular" antagonists will rake up issues of Hindu-Muslim conflict to justify their own existence. They realise that the 1998 BJP offensive can be checked in two possible ways: either by scaring the electorate into believing that Atal Bihari Vajpayee leads an army of stormtroopers or by the voters reposing faith in dynastic democracy. The ragtag United Front (UF) will do its utmost to further the first agenda while the Congress will spiritedly sell Rajiv Gandhi's Italian-born widow.The construction of the temple is no longer a BJP issue; today, it is the last refuge of the secular forces. In view of the low priority attached by the electorate - last week's INDIA TODAY-ORG-MARG opinion poll is an indication - to the Ayodhya controversy, it may be difficult for the BJP's opponents to convince the electorate that Vajpayee is just the benign face of Hindu bigotry. .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Even Bal Thackeray's recent pronouncements offer little by way of ammunition to secular fundamentalists. There is a widespread feeling that Vajpayee deserves a chance, for the sake of fairness and natural justice. If he messes it up, the electorate will get even with the BJP the next time.Likewise, Sonia Gandhi is certain to be a powerful crowd-puller. There is a natural curiosity, and lots of sympathy, for a foreign bahu who has endured tragedy and grudgingly met her obligation to the family firm. This sympathy would even have translated into votes if India was confronted with a leadership vacuum. Vajpayee's formidable presence has ruled out this possibility. Sonia will be greeted with adulation and hysteria but may not make a substantial difference to the Congress' ultimate tally.Sonia's objective is simple: deprive the BJP of a majority and ensure another hung Parliament where the Congress and UF cobble together a coalition that is susceptible to the influence of 10 Janpath. It is an eminently self-serving goal. Unfortunately, it can only be reached if the electorate discards its yearning for what the BJP quaintly calls ability and stability. As things stand, there is nothing in the Congress to inspire this reckless gamble with India's future. The only thing that could alter the equation is if the BJP is suddenly perceived as comprising a bunch of extremists. Paradoxically, the greatest danger of that happening comes from the Ayodhya issue - an issue that contributed to the BJP's great leap forward in 1991. There is a time and place for every issue. In 1998, temple construction is not a top of the mind concern. It is not even the BJP's priority. By labouring too hard on this natural shift, Advani is sending confused signals and even getting reporters confused. In 1991, Ayodhya was a BJP issue; today, it is the last refuge of the secular forces. It should be allowed to remain that way.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Jan 12, 1998--- ENDS ---

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'Neither Rome nor Ram, today's issue is stability'

Neither Rome nor Ram, today's issue is stability.

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