New Delhi, December 22: With his stepping down from the post of leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha on Friday, Lal Krishna Advani’s long and distinguished political career which had seen many highs and some lows, has come to an end. For a young man who came from Karachi in the wake of partition of the country in 1947, his journey inpolitics was stupendous and successful. While BJP has amended their constitution to make him the chairman of the party’s parliamentary board, one thing is pretty clear that now he would work as advisor or mentor to the party.
Agreed, Advani was indicted for his alleged role in the demolition of structure in Ayodhya and he was always seen as the radical faces of Hindutava, there are certain facets of his personality that always make him very tall leader. That he belongs to the category of those political leaders who never cross the Lakshaman Rekha of decency while attacking their rivals. And despite his extended career, he never promoted his family.
Moreover his wealth too never multiplies as its happening in the case of many leaders. Minus, the coveted Prime Minister ship, he held the positions of Union Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of the country. After the stunning defeat of NDA in the 2009 General Elections, his dream to become the PM more or less finished.
Through the years Advani had served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980. Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades, Advaniji was, first, the HomeMinister and, later, the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004).
He is widely regarded as an individual of great intellectual ability, strong principles, and unwavering support for the idea of a strong and prosperous India. As confirmed by Atalji, Advaniji has ‘never compromised on his core belief in nationalism, and yet has displayed flexibility in political responses whenever it was demanded by the situation’.
As a student in St. Patrick’s School, Karachi, his patriotic ideals inspired him to join the Rashtriya Swayamasevak Sangh (RSS) at the mere age of fourteen. He has dedicated his life to the service of the nation ever since.
Advaniji’s celebration of India’s independence from the British in 1947 was sadly short lived as he became one of the millions to be torn from his homeland amidst the terror and bloodshed of the tragedy of India’s partition. These events, however, did not turn him bitter or cynical but instead spurred him on in his desire to create a more secular India. With this goal in mind he journeyed to Rajasthan to continue his work as an RSS Pracharak.
Through the latter half of the 1980s and the 1990s, Advaniji focused on the singular task of building the BJP into a national political force. The results of his efforts were underscored by the 1989 General Election.The Party bounced back from its 1984 tally of 2 to achieve an impressive 86 seats. The Party position moved up to 121 seats in 1992 and 161 in 1996; making the 1996 elections a watershed in Indian democracy. For the first time since independence, the Congress was dethroned from its preeminent position, and the BJP became the single largest party in the Lok Sabha.
An emotional individual with strong family ties, Advaniji has said that ‘nature dangles happiness and meaning before us all, insisting only that we choose between them, but I have had the good fortune of experiencing both, and in abundance’.
Despite his ripe age, he is remarkably fit and fine. One only hopes that he would continue to serve the party and country in days and years to come as well.
–Agencies