Putting Sushma Swaraj into ‘BJP spokesperson’s role’ was one of the many masterstrokes of veteran L K Advani

Will BJP field 'surprise' women candidates in 2024 ?

Tribute to Sushma on her death anniversary also triggers a debate on 'women politics' in BJP

'Nagaland Page'

August 6th is the fourth death anniversary of prominent BJP leader and former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Sushma Swaraj’s rise in the BJP was dazzling in more ways than one and she owed it largely to party’s original ‘talent spotter’ L K Advani.

In terms of explaining the party’s position - when BJP was easily 

described as a ‘communal outfit’ and underestimated as a party of Hindi belt, Sushma Swaraj had brought a refreshing change.

She appealed to Indian women largely. Her chaste Hindi and middle class mannerism impressed the aspiring  Indians of the post-1991 liberalisation era.

“My husband knows the northeast much better....," she told Naga leader Sentichuba in 1998 – when she was I&B Minister and Swaraj Kaushal was appointed by the Vajpayee government as ‘negotiator’ for Naga peace talks. 

In 2014 yet again when it came to the parliamentary debate on Telangana statehood, she emphasised more than once.during Feb 14th debate, that it was not only "Sonia amma" (Sonia Gandhi) who got them a separate state but she herself  "Cheen-amma" (Sushma as an aunt) also contributed her part.

True it was a dream come true for a woman leader in a party - where due to historical reasons or  ideological backlog of RSS - Male Chauvinism was considered a known thing even a few years back.

She became Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Lok Sabha after Advani decided to opt out and later also became the External Affairs Minister under Narendra Modi.

But there was an alleged 'chill' between the two leaders.  Many say

Sushma Swaraj should have understood she 'got' maximum a party like BJP could give her,  and remained 'satisfied'.

Look at the paradox of life; just a ew hours before her death thanked Modi for revoking Article 370 and tweeted: ''Thank you Prime Minister. Thank you very much. I was waiting to see this day in my lifetime"..

Now taking the clock back to 2014 would be relevant as understandably, she was being 'sidelined'

because the PM himself stole all media limelight of high profile diplomatic engagements.

Taking a closer look suggests, 'sidelining' of Sushma and another high profile woman leader Uma Bharti coincided with the rise of two other women. That's pure politics or Modi's style would be best left to the posterity to judge.

These two new women are Smriti Irani and Nirmala Sitharaman. Both were surprise choices. Ms Sitharaman became first Commerce Minister (she was not even MP) and then India's first woman Defence and first woman Finance Minister too.

Ms Irani - the TV actress-turned-neta, is a much useful leader in BJP's backyards. In 2019, she wrote herself to history pages when she humbled Rahul Gandhi in Amethi and the powerful Congress leader 'had to move to Wayanad in Kerala'. 

Now, the push for 'Matri Shakti' (women empowerment) is a norm in the saffron 

party.

In 2022, the BJP nominated a woman leader, S Phangnon Konyak, as the party candidate for Rajya Sabha seat. Fielding its state women's wing chief for Upper House may not seem much of a surprise in the rest of  India. But it was a big move in Nagaland.  

In Manipur, the BJP had appointed the first woman president of the state unit in A Sharda Devi. In Tripura, lawmaker Pratima Bhaumik became the first Tripura resident and only the second woman from the Northeast to be a Union Minister.

With 'Manipur's video row' making waves and embarrassing the party, in 2024, they say the BJP may still throw in surprises and field 'more women' candidates in unexpected parliamentary constituencies. 

ends 

(from old blogs and other articles)

Mother of Twitter Diplomacy: Sushma was perhaps 'best woman PM' India never had

A fantastic orator and seasoned parliamentarian and a creator of Twitter Diplomacy, she might go down the memory lane as the best woman Prime Minister India never had.

IN 2018, veteran L K Advani hailed Sushma Swaraj's contribution as Health Minister under Vajpayee and he was so much impressed by her oratory skills that he had said, "I am hardly a good speaker. But Sushmaji is one. After Vajpayeeji, if anybody had given me complex about speaking in public or in Parliament it is Sushma Swaraj".  

As External Affairs Minister since 2014, while PM Modi dominated the serious diplomatic scene, Late Swaraj discovered the tool of Twitter and excelled in that as she made friends worldwide and helped Indians in distress.

It is not without good reason that in December 2016, Sushma Swaraj was listed among 100 leading  global thinkers for the year 2016 by a leading international magazine for 'fashioning a novel brand of Twitter diplomacy'. The honour came from reputed periodical 'Foreign Policy'.

In June 26, 2017, Prime Minister Modi had lauded Late Sushma Swaraj for giving 'human face' to diplomacy and had said that the latter's effective use of social networking can be linked to 'good governance'.

For his part, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "....I used to call her Di; normally she took it for Ji and that's an usual practice. But one day, when I called her Sushma-Di and she heard it clearly. She came back and held both my hands".

ends