“The road not taken” by BJP

Two roads diverged in the yellow woods…. This time we’ll try to take both. This was the message by the new BJP President Nitin Gadkari as he hailed the secular ethos while reiterating the party stand on Hindutva. Upliftment for those standing at the end of the queue, this is the ideal he said the party will follow. Employment generation, poverty alleviation, and financial inclusion of rural areas are the focus of the party according to the new president. “Nation first, party next, self last”, quotes read on the backdrop where a brand new poster with the images of the two mentors, Mr Atal Bihar Vajpayee and Mr L K Advani smiled on to the public along with Mr Gadkari. “I have no personal political goals, I believe in socialisation of politics.” He made it clear that the affiliation with RSS is only an ideological one and it has no control on the functioning of BJP, including his election as the national president. “It is only in BJP where a field worker is elevated to the party president,” Mr Gadkari. With the new line of leadership ready, the way ahead for BJP seems different this time as it is trying to focus on development and secularism, at the same time upholding its old line of Hindutva. How far the party sticks to this approach and how deep the message penetrates into the psyche of the voters is yet to be seen. For now, it the road not taken on which the party is set to venture. The results are awaited.