All Talk and No Action

Have been thinking bucketfuls on why the NDA couldn't show it's MAGIK this time around too...

Here are my several cents on what I dislike about the NDA and what could be hampering it from emerging as a National Leader -

• National Presence - Not having any presence in major states like TN, Andhra, WB, etc. has always hampered the prospects of the BJP. How can it ever dream of emerging as a National Party if it can't have it's presence felt? Also, I am stressing on BJP's own presence and NOT Allies. I hate alliances. I feel one has to forego a LOT of one's idealogy/Programme if one allies with small parties/brokers. I am sure the party Big Wigs must have done lots of introspection. Hopefully, they would work on this most important deterrent
  
• Dynasties - The most important factor that differentiates the Congress from the BJP is the prominence given to the "Dynasties" in the Congress. The "Ji Huzoori" factor hasn't worked in the BJP. It's a democratic party where anybody from the grassroots can emerge as a leader. One needn't be a Gandhi/Scindia/Pilot/Dutt/Deora to be given a ticket. This was the case uptil now. However, recent cases like Munde asking for Somaiya's ticket be given to Poonam Mahajan is extremely disrespectful towards Somaiya's amazing work in his area and a move towards "Family Raj". This is what I have observed in Mumbai. I am not sure if it is happening elsewhere too. The BJP needs to acknowledge that young blood will refrain from joining it if it moves away from it's "Democratic Core". The BJP is a cadre based party and it should always keep in mind the grassroots level workers. If the workers are unhappy while the bosses keep having their ways, it's going to spell disaster
  
• Young Blood - From the very outset I had a feeling that nominating L.K. Advani might actually prove to be a negative. But on further thought, I couldn't come up with a name that could be shown as the face of the BJP or it's future Leader/ a Probable PM candidate. The party has some great thinkers like Jaitley, Shourie and a few good politicians like Swaraj, Modi, Chauhan, etc. It's high time that these are given better positions than just General Secretaries and Spokespersons. A very strong second rung leadership is of no use if the Old Guard isn't ready to pave way for young talent. Apart from the second rung, it's important to nurture a third rung too ! I personally know of sooo many first time voters who voted for Deora only because he "looked fit, was a Boston return and was young!" It's important to cultivate great minds who are willing to work for the progress of the nation and are young enough to connect with the Urban masses.
  
• Ego - Huge and Brittle Egos have always caused damage. I hope Rajnath Singh is shown his place and we get a better Party President, more in sync with what people want (Hopefully, Jaitley.)
• Work, work and work some more - Orissa, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka have all shown that no amount of debates and discussions and intellectual theories work. It's grassroots level work that has got these CMs back to power. Hope the NDA as a whole realises this and works towards becoming a National Party with genuine work to show around
• Now, I would like to comment on a regional issue and not a national one. BJP's alliance with the Sena in Maharashtra. I have always hated the Sena and it's regressive ideology. Curbs on all sorts of personal freedom, naka-bandi, maar peet on Valentine's Day, patthar baazi when any Thackeray Family member dies and more - This is all that they have stood for. Talk to them about economy and other important issues and they shall run for cover. From recent reports, it seems that BJP is thinking of breaking away from the Sena and allying with the MNS. If this were to happen, it would start losing respect, at least, as far as I am concerned. Again, here, all boils down to going solo, working for the benefit of the masses and establishing oneself as a formidable party