Will Messrs Advani, Rajnath Singh & Modi ride into the sunset if the BJP comes to be trounced?
Two years ago, I said in “Political Paralysis”, “[I]f Atal Behari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani could bring themselves to honestly walk away from BJP politics, there would have to be a genuine leadership contest and some new principles emerging in their party. There is an excellent and very simple political reason for Vajpayee and Advani to go, which is not that they are too old (which they are) but that they led their party to electoral defeat. Had they walked away in May 2004, there might have been by now some viable conservative political philosophy in India and some recognisable new alternative leadership for 2009. Instead there is none and the BJP has not only failed very badly at being a responsible Opposition, it will go into the 2009 General Election looking exceptionally decrepit and incompetent.” Last month I wondered if anyone who supports the BJP could please teach them some Econ 101 asap. Now, after the Ludhiana rally, I think the person who takes credit for making the B
