The divisive Modi is seen as a fascist threat by progressive forces in India. While he’s no Hitler but there are generally worries that if BJP takes power and Modi becomes PM that he will try to shift India towards Hindu extremism (Hindutava) which could lead to loss of the limited freedoms Indians currently enjoy and could also be bad news for minorities like Muslims and Christians. While the mainstream Sikh political party the Shiromani Akali Dal is BJP’s political partner, there could still be trouble for Sikhs as well.
NEW DELHI – The rightwing BJP took a gamble with the tainted Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, aka the Butcher of Gujarat for his role in the deaths of many Muslims in state sanctioned violence, in appointing him as their prime ministerial candidate on Friday.
While it created euphoria among the rank and file but that may not last long as he will be tested as a pan India leader and many within the party, including patriarch L K Advani, remain opposed which soured the mood of the cadre.
Out of power for nearly ten years, the mood was one of celebration in BJP. While crackers and drums are customary in the BJP headquarters at Ashoka Road here whenever an announcement of a assembly election victory or appointment of some leader to a key post is made, the enthusiasm seen on Friday has not been witnessed in recent years.
Most of all, the second rung of BJP central leadership had a big smile on their faces and many expressed satisfaction that the anointment has finally been done.
Even the senior-most leaders clamoured to stand behind Modi so that they are seen in the media.
The divisive Modi is also seen as a fascist threat by progressive forces in India. While he’s no Hitler but there are generally worries that if BJP takes power and Modi becomes PM that he will try to shift India towards Hindu extremism which could lead to loss of the limited freedoms Indians currently enjoy and could also be bad news for minorities like Muslims and Christians. While the mainstream Sikh political party the Shiromani Akali Dal is BJP’s political partner, there could still be trouble for Sikhs as well.
Modi’s gesture of touching the feet of leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi also won him admirers. The two leaders were opposed to the declaration of his name as PM candidate before the assembly elections to Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Modi did his bit by eulogising Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani for building the party through the years. He later visited the two leaders to seek their blessings.
Asked about Advani not attending the parliamentary board meeting, BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy said “he is a father figure to us. He is a guardian who has shaped the party. We would have been happy had he been a part of it.”
“Hope Advani comes through to see that Modi succeeds as a Prime Minister. We will never fail to seek his blessings,” Rudy said.
Rudy and others credited BJP president Rajnath Singh with building a consensus on Modi’s name and succeeding in ensuring that the parliamentary board takes an unanimous decision.
Asked how the decision was taken, party general secretary Thawarchand Gehlot said a resolution was moved to make Modi the prime ministerial candidate of BJP and was accepted unanimously by the parliamentary board.
Meanwhile, Modi is expected to make more frequent trips to Delhi and get a firmer grip on the party’s campaign in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.
His rallies across the country will also be watched with new interes
