The ongoing election in Uttar Pradesh will decide as to who finally will lead India: Narendra Modi or Yogi Adityanath.
Vivekanand Jha Ranchi: In one of my previous pieces I had dwelt on the fact, that challenger to Modi has to come from inside, for neither Rahul nor Mamata has the wherewithal to take on the behemoth of Modi phenomenon. Signigicantly, the stalwart BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh, having long capitulated before Modi, Narendra Modi had subjugated one and all to his accentuating hubris which tolerates none extending any form of challenge to him. Sitapati’s book on BJP, wherein he has spectacularly projected the control of the party by duo in different times and era, beginning with Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Pundit Deen Dayal Upadhyay; later duplicated by Ataljee-Advanijee; followed yet again by Modi-Shah duo. However, the beauty of the latter combination is this: Amit Shah remains a lieutenant, not one among equals of Narendra Modijee. The rise of Modi phenomenon in the polity, accompanied by his trusted lieutenant Amit Shah, has ensured the marginalisation of one and all: The taming of Gadkari and Rajnath Singh, whereas engendering the rise of Nadda, is the vindication of the hardcore political agenda enforced by Modi-Shah duo to cut everyone to size. Thus in the process, the eclipse of the domination of UP and the corresponding rise of Gujarat is the new phenomenon in the BJP politics today.
Wheras the iron feast rule of Modi-Shah in BJP has strangled any dissidence in the party, the rise of Yogi Adityanath as a daunting challenge to Modi-Shah, is the beacon of new hope within the BJP as well as for those who have been eagerly awaiting someone daring to look into the eyes of the Shahenshah of BJP today. Significantly, Yogi Adityanath today–the only leader in BJP who dared not only to look into the eyes of Modi, but threw a gauntlet at him by bluntly refusing to kowtow to him–his blunt refusal to accommodate A.K.Sharma, the loyalist of Narendra Modi from Gujarat IAS circle–is the vindication of Yogi Adityaraj not succumbing to Modi phenomenon. Interestingly, he steadfastly stood his ground, despite the humongous pressure tactics exerted upon him by Narendra Modi–even RSS’ Hansabole, second man of RSS, close to Modi-failed to persuade him to concede to Modi’s wish. Small wonder then, Narendra Modi, who is never known to have forgiven anyone for defying him, has swallowed the bitter pill, awaiting his chances to strike back on Yogi at the opportune time: The defeat of BJP in Uttar Pradesh, or the marginal victory of BJP will provide Modi to marginalise Yogi. Therefore BJP aparatachik has, by virtue of clever stratagem, has not named the future chief minister of BJP. Unequivocally, Narendra Modi who wished to plant A.K. Sharma as the Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to keep Yogi Adityanath on check, failed in his mission, for Yogi, adept in the game of power play, nipped in bud the superimposition of A.K.Sharma upon the official chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
BJP in Uttar Pradesh Election is fighting under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, where both Modi and Shah have kept themselves away from the mainstream of campaigning. No wonder, the onus of victory or defeat of BJP is on Yogi. Hence, all eyes are on Yogi, whose victory in the ongoing election in Uttar Pradesh will engender a mounting challenge to the leadership of Modi-Shah duo. For, a section of BJP and Sangh look upon Yogi as the future Prime Minister of India. Apparently, it is the testing time for Yogi, as he cris -crosses the entire Uttar Pradesh to ensure the victory of BJP. In view of Modi-Shah’s aloofness from hectic campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, in contrast to their overwhelming domination in campaigning in West Bengal, the Yogi Adityanath in many ways have assumed the star campaigner’s role singlehandedly, where the victory of BJP will be all his; Modi-Shah will not be allowed to take any credit for the victory at the hustings. Similarly, defeat will be attributed to his own crassness and dictatorial rule which will lead to his marginalisation to great extent, for Modi-Shah duo will claim their inevitability for winning elections for BJP, where West Bengal being an exception, rather than a rule. Yet, Yogi Adityanath being the future suvcessor of Narendra Modi as per RSS gameplan, there will be no end of road for him, even if BJP loses in Uttar Pradesh.
The victory of BJP in Uttar Pradesh has several factors embedded in it: Apart from its strengthening the claim of Yogi Adityanath as the formidable challnger to Modi in national politics, the central focus of BJP too will change from Gujarat to Uttar Pradesh, the state which has produced the greater number of Prime Ministers. Also, the rise of Modi phenomenon in national politics, has significantly robbed the domination of Uttar Pradesh in shaping the political trajectory of the nation. Thus the outcome of the poll in Uttar Pradesh holds the future of both BJP as well as Modi and Yogi. As the adage as well as the belief goes: He who wins Uttar Pradsh, rules India. Hence in this backdrop, the victory of BJP will enable Adityanath Yogi an inevitable claim to lead the nation in future; the poignancy of his claim to lead the nation certainly will gain traction with the victory of Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh, which Modi-Shah duo will enormously resent, for the rise of Yogi as a new challenger to Modi from within BJP, is the deadly prospect which will be an anathema to both Modi and Shah.
Vivekanand Jha is an author, academician and a Public Intellectual. He is the Convener of Education pe Charcha.
[20/02, 13:29] Vivekanand Jha Ranchi: The ongoing election in Uttar Pradesh will decide as to who finally will lead India: Narendra Modi or Yogi Adityanath.
