New Delhi, Mar 27 (UNI) In the list of elders – those virtually given voluntary or forced retirement by BJP include L K Advani, M M Joshi, Shanta Kumar, B C Khanduri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Kalraj Mishra and Karia Munda. From the younger lot – Sushma Swaraj (67) and Uma Bharati (59) opted out of electoral race.
Before you gasp for air – how and why these went on – the Congress list of candidates still has the name of Digvijaya Singh (72) and Salman Khurshid (66).
In the case of Digvijaya, Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s decision is puzzling as Bhopal – a known saffron party bastion for decades – will be a tough seat to win. Notwithstanding the bravado, Mr Singh made a reluctant entry.
Talk to BJP leaders on the subject – most speak vaguely. Instead, one leader tried to show the ‘virtues’ of the decision to field 28-year-old L S Tejaswi Surya from Bangalore South denying the ticket to Late Ananth Kumar’s wife Tejaswani Ananth Kumar. Has BJP adopted pragmatism to sentimentality? In that case – what is Rahul Gandhi – 20 years younger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi - trying to do by fielding veterans like Digvijaya Singh?
In fact, when it came to making choice of Chief Ministers too – Mr Gandhi had opted for 72-year-old Kamal Nath in Madhya Pradesh and Ashok Gehlot (67) in Rajasthan. The claims from much younger Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot were brushed aside or kept in backburner.
Of course, Congress has younger leaders in the form of Hardik Patel - who formally joined the party and
In Goa – a scene in contrast – the BJP insisted that the man to succeed Maohor Parrikar will be 48-year-old Pawan Sawant. Earlier, it gave relatively young Chief Ministers in Tripura and Maharashtra and even NPP leader Conrad Sangma in Meghalaya is only 41 and certainly represents the ‘new generation’ politics in northeast.
In terms of BJP’s ‘shift’ towards Generation Next – it all actually started way back in 2013 under Rajnath Singh as party president himself – and the move had clear blessings of the RSS leadership.
According to a BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh – now standing sidelined – the underlining theme that guided the saffron party in 2013 appointment of office bearers, 2014 distribution of tickets and also ministry formation and now against allotment of tickets in 2019 – is – ‘kisi ek neta ki nahi chali’
“The single biggest takeaway is that no individual is important,” he said adding not even patriarch L K Advani or the Late Ananth Kumar vis-a-vis the emotive issue of ‘sympathy’ ticket for his wife.
Endorsing him a Maharashtra BJP leader says – “The new team and ticket distribution reflects practical politics at places like in the case of Maneka-Varun Gandhi duo and it only reflects the generation next”.
In the case of Varun Gandhi – he is just 39 and that’s a merit, a source said.
A leader went further – saying in 2024, it will be likes of Pawan Sawant (48) or even the 28-year-old L S Tejaswi Surya – who will run the BJP.
In Uttar Pradesh – despite all criticism – the incumbent Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is not only a ‘younger’ face – he is precisely one year younger to Rahul Gandhi. A Sangh parivar functionary and close observer of things – says “Rajnath Singh started it in 2013 itself and this has been carried forward. Without showing disrespect, I must say we have been able to do away with dead wood”.
In contrast, let us examine the cases pertaining to Congress veterans.
Besides Digvijaya Singh and Salman Khurshid, Congress leaders contesting elections this year will be Mallikarjun Kharge (76), Nirmal Khatri (68)
Of course, 73-year-old P Chidambaram has left Sivaganga seat to his son Karti. Interestingly, in terms of showing faith on younger lots – in January this year – Congress president Rahul Gandhi brought in Jyotiraditya Scindia and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as two in-charges in UP – replacing 70-year-old Ghulam Nabi Azad.
In Uttarakhand 71-year-old Harish Rawat is Congress nominee from Nainital while in Nagaland Congress candidate is another former Chief Minister K L Chishi (75).
In the running of the party, of course Rahul Gandhi has to bank on his mother Sonia Gandhi (72) also contesting from Rae Bareli and A K Antony (78).
ends
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