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Infighting as a way of life

The infighting in the Bharatiya Janata Party has begun to look like a joke told once too often. The latest episode in the political soap opera has ended, as in the past, in an anti-climax. Madan Lal Khurana, the expelled warhorse, was all sound and fury. He questioned Lal Krishna Advani's authority, accused him of diluting BJP ideology, and swore never to work under him. Today he is back home, wreathed in smiles, regret letter in hand. That this `happy ending' was courtesy another act of publicised pique, this time by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is a story in itself. The official line on the headline-making `outburst' is that he was distraught at the shabby manner of Mr. Khurana's ouster. This is true to an extent. Yet, in objecting to Mr. Khurana's expulsion, Mr.Vajpayee was venting his own frustration at being bypassed by a party leadership that did not deem it necessary even to consult him on the decision. In the event, l'affaire Khurana has exposed dissonance and confusion at the highest levels. Of course, Mr. Vajpayee's angry act was followed by his trademark somersault. Mr. Vajpayee feigned astonishment, as only he can, at media speculation that he has fallen out with Mr. Advani, "a friend, associate, and my party president." He was similarly offended when, in 2003, Venkaiah Naidu sought to make an unwise comparison between the `vikas purush' (development man) and `loh purush' (iron man). As now, the public denunciation gave way to remorse with Mr. Vajpayee recalling his longstanding friendship with Mr. Advani. Back then, the BJP was in power, indeed it was on a hat-trick of electoral wins, and thus better able to deal with the thinly-veiled power struggle at the top.

So who won this round? For the legion of Advani-baiters, including most prominently the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Mr. Khurana's return is proof that the party chief plays second fiddle to Mr. Vajpayee. The BJP chief was forced to revoke the expulsion of a dissident who mounted a virulent campaign against him. Advani loyalists will point out, on the other hand, that Mr. Khurana was readmitted after an abject apology. Basically, the Advani vs Vajpayee debate is meaningless. The BJP's biggest challenge is not one of choosing between the big two but of preserving itself. Over the past year, the party's second generation has made short work of inner-party discipline; the past week saw the vice spread to the top leadership. This cannot but be to the satisfaction of the RSS, which is determined to oust Mr. Advani and capture the party. It is in the BJP's interest to fight this larger design rather than spend precious time trying to score brownie points. As for the BJP president, he faces a crucial test this week when the party's national executive meets in Chennai. He can pander to the RSS and live on borrowed time — or, like a true leader, assert himself and set a new agenda for his party.

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