I have the highest regards for Lal Krishna Advani  who seems to have been forgotten by BJP and RSs who of late have been espousing the cause of one Narendra Modi the new found Hindutva Mascot. Advani is singularly responsible for galvanizing a tattered party with his Ramjanma bhoomi agenda- catapulting the party from single digits to a ruling dispensation. He knew that coalitions  may not work under him for his image as a tough Hindutva mascot could ruin the chances, and graciously allowed  Atal Behari Vajpayee to become PM .Advani is the most hated politician in India with Congress deriding him as eternal PM in waiting and the media picturing him a religious bigot. Advani understood rather late in his life time that espousing Savarkar mode of Hindutva could dent his image seriously as consensus builder and a staunch patriot. He rediscovered his self during his visit to Pakistan when he suddenly found virtues in the personality of Mohammad Ali Jinnah. RSS nearly ostracized him as they did Jaswant singh as well. But Jaswant was rehabilitated for he was not a serious contender to be the top leader unlike Advani. Advani was successful in promoting his protégé Sushma Swaraj as Leader of the opposition but he could feel his isolation within the party after the resounding rejection of his famous theme-   Majboot Neta nirnay Sarcar in the elections when UPA swept back to power.

Nitin Gadkari the chosen RSS man won a second term as BJP President and he was also made to sacrifice Sanjay Joshi to appease Modi. Advani has chosen his time to vent his feelings about the importance given to Modi – the maudh ka Saudagar- judging from the stigma of 2002 post Godhra riots friendly acquittals of SIT notwithstanding. He has spoken his heart out to remind BJP to shed its anti Muslim image and promote someone who would be acceptable to a larger   partners of a new rainbow coalitions which could catapult NDA to power if elections were to be held in the near future to capitalize on the corrupt image of UPA-II.  RSS has not reacted to his suggestion but may not be amused. Modi himself is a little subdued now a days when he said to CNN IBN that what happened in Gujarat is a team effort. He has also said his ambition is to win a renewed mandate to rule Gujarat. 

I am a little skeptical of NDA within sniffing chance of victory in any elections in the near future but if that were to happen, Advani should hold his ground in firmly denying communal elements the portals of power but promote moderate elements. He could even help install persons like Nitish  Kumar as he himself has fancied a non BJP non congress coalition to ascend to power. If he yields, then the nation’s history will have to be re written. Surfacing of rotten ideologies of Veer Savarkar are a threat to modern polity. Advani needs all his courage and conviction to carry this battle. His friends may desert him. But he should fight this war against RSS domination which Vajpayee could wage till he quit politics. As a comrade in arms of moderate face of Hindutva, the ex militant Hindutva mascot needs to fight the evil designs of RSS in fragmenting India. Advani will remember that it is the dual membership  issue which resulted in the failure of Janatha Experiment. Even if he fails, posterity will remember for his fight and his place in the pantheons of great leaders of India will be firmly cemented.