Stranded Advani Not to Speak at BJP National Executive

Advani’s marginalisation has been complete. The senior BJP leader will not speak at the 2-day National Executive in Bengaluru.

Since the party’s inception in 1980, the BJP’s founding fathers - Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani - have addressed its National Executive (NE) meetings barring ill-health.

But this time round,  Advani has been excluded from the list of speakers who will deliver the closing remarks at the two-day meet beginning tomorrow in Bengaluru. It’s a sign that could mark the end of his journey with the party.

Old Wine, Old Bottle

Stung by the BJP’s moves to make Narendra Modi the PM-candidate in 2013, Advani had given the National Executive a miss. Having failed in that attempt, a petulant LK Advani found himself cornered as Narendra Modi rose within the party and as he led the BJP to a resounding victory in the 2014 polls.

To make the sidelining appear less obvious, Modi created the Margdarshak Mandal, comprising veterans LK Advani, MM Joshi and AB Vajpayee, ostensibly to guide the new lot of leaders.

Resigned to fate, Advani had accepted the role, albeit reluctantly.

The Padma Lolly

On 30 March, President Pranab Mukherjee gave away the Padma Vibhushan to LK Advani.

Having been awarded and booted upstairs, Advani is in no position to protest or even sulk as he did in 2013. For a man who co-founded, nurtured and led the party, it is indeed a steep fall from grace.