The Bharatiya Janata Party increasingly resembles a franchisee operation like Nirula’s or McDonald’s. Its flag flies high in a number of States, but each of its regional satraps—be it Narendra Damodardas Modi in Gujarat, Shivraj Chauhan in Madhya Pradesh or Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh—scripts his own story.
Prof Narendar Pani of the national institute of advanced studies (NIAS), Bangalore, extends the argument to Karnataka, in Mail Today:
“When the BJP formed its first government in Karnataka it was seen as a victory of the party’s ideology and the first step in a deep ideological push into the South. Halfway through its term that beginning seems a distant memory. The State government is in the news more for stories of corruption and defections rather than anything more positive.
“While this could be dismissed as a part of the preoccupations of the media, it is difficult to miss the defensiveness on the part of the party’s usually aggressive national spokespersons when talking of the Karnataka government. And, what is even more significant, the national leadership of the party appears to be unable to do very much about it. What began as a BJP government has somewhere along the way been turned into a Yediyurappa government.
“This apparently incomprehensible transformation may well have a very simple explanation. If we look at what has happened in Karnataka from the perspective of local grassroots politics, rather than national ideological concerns, it does seem that the BJP and others in Delhi may have exaggerated the ideological content of their electoral victory in the State.”
churumuri 
You are being too naive. Whether it is is BJP ruled state or Congress, the situation is same anywhere. Even a layman can understand it. It does not need an analysis by a Professor. You are wasting your time in such nonsense analysis. What do you want to say after all?! That the Congress CMs are elected in a democratic way! How foolish of you.
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Nice contrast:
BJP — like a McDonald franchise– with powerful local leaders hardly to do anything with the central leadership
Congress — like North Korea — a dictatorial regime where local leaders are not allowed to grow; who becomes the CM of a state is decided by the queen (and now by the Yuvaraj and queen).
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Sanjeeva, you are correct. I second you.
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Breaking News…
Lokayukta findings leaked names Yeddi, Kummi and Drum Singh in the illegal mining scams…
Interesting to watch how these vermins will wriggle out of this situation..
Santosh hegde has asked for additional protection for his staff and office till the report is officially release
Forgot to add Reddy brothers, sriramulu, anil lad also in the list…
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BJP rules the KA because Shri. Yediyurappa happens to be in BJP. If he were to be Congress or Left those parties would have been in office. Those of us who voted BJP voted for Shri. Yediyurappa and not for Gadkari, Advani, Sushma, Jaitley, Rudy. No kannadiga can find any element of affinity with the latter.
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Political parties are owned operated and financed by Indian corporation with the help of foreign corporations giving support. Its the corruption that keeps these politicians going. There is no servie for the people in their agenda. These terms are only used at the time of elections. Now that elections are near, both BJP and Congress are making big ideological speeches. While the poor are being robbed of their livelyhood and are being driven to hunger and suicide, these corrupt politician are busy playing charlatan games wth the people.
I know Maoist is not the answer to the prayers of India’s poor, but hey are definitly a better option.
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Isn’t the UPA union government owned by the billionaire Gandhi family? What does the Congress do collectively to ensure the non-existent ideology of the party is respected in governance decisions?
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agree with Sanjeeva, nonsense analysis …some drivel
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This is the comment by people who are accustomed to slavery of the monarchy. They cannot appreciate federalism.
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If the studies are true, it underlines the federalist nature of our democracy. In many of the states where the Congress is in power, the there are strong regional parties that are opposing them, some of them in coalition with the BJP. In the other states where BJP is dominant it is due to a combination of its cadre and strong local leaders.
The Congress has had an inherent support base in most states ever since the Independence movement. Such an advantage is not enjoyed by other parties including the BJP. To counter this, they have to either align with regional forces in some states or rely on popular leaders in other states as the organization alone cannot get them a majority. It goes without saying that such a strategy would allow regional satraps to call the shots in their respective states. In states where the BJP has not followed this strategy, it has failed to find a foothold like in TN and Kerala.
Unlike in the past, most Congress ruled states nowadays have chief ministers who are relative lightweights as the party might not still be comfortable in allowing local leaders to become too dominant in their states. This often causes a situation where leaders are strong in some regions of the state but do not have state wide appeal.
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Why can’t u call the same as de-centralisation? People are so obsessed with dictatorial leadership that they call this as franchisee. Its really foolish and absurd article.
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If any one go through the comments posted by readers, under the regional political news in Deccan Herald, or other online news media, it is easy to find that many people have strong view based on caste lines. Surprisingly, most pro-BJP readers use very strong words and even abusive language. (if anyone doubts this, please see comments appearing in Deccan Herald of any particular date).
Though, all party sympathisers use abusive comments, BJP sympathisers have mastered this. Pro-Janata Dal guys are less in posting, obviously because their vote bank is mostly rural based. The same Names and styles of comments who support BJP aggressively can be found making caste and racial remarks against certain other political leaders, in the context of other state related news also. (Please verify if doubt this).
Though, I cant see the original news here, this is definitely an important observation. (Hardly there is anything new in this. Still this Political analysis is very significant)
Every one knows that Congress is the only one political party with pan Indian presence. Political observers have pointed out that, though Congress was routed earlier in many states, they have showed remarkable ability to bounce back. This is a very positive aspect of Congress. However, there are opinions showing that, Congress is no longer in a position to bounce back where they got defeated, and the national political scenario is changing or changed qualitatively. For example, please have a look at this article – http://moronsview.blogspot.com/2011/05/2014-loksabha-election-resuts-congress.html
The important thing about Congress is that, Congress never expanded its base ever since Independence, but it only lost existing bases. Late 1960s was a big turning point when Congress suffered major setbacks. Post Emergency ensured that, Congress’ mass base got seriously shaken in the all India level. 1989 election marked the end of Single Party Govt in India. Congress took one more decade to understand this situation and was late in forming coalitions.
Coalition Governments led by congress is helping and destroying Congress at the same time. It helps to project Congress as a main force in the national level around which other small splinter groups can rally together. But there is a problem.–
Congress (or any other main party) always have certain core community or regional groups’ backing. Say, in Karnataka, a Vokkaliga mass will not tolerate a Lingayat based authoritarian leader. Similarly, Brahmin vote base of a party in a region in Uttaranchal may not tolerate a Scheduled caste leadership. When congress enter a national coalition, it may have to compromise with strong regional parties. That will only result certain other caste or region based followers of Congress from this particular state will slowly move away from Congress. Say for example, if Congress is backing Azhagiri in Tamil Nadu, why should Azhagiri’s vote base in Madhurai region switch side to Congress in the near future? If Congress agree to make Kumaraswamy the chief minister of Karnataka, why should Vokkaliga mass re-join congress?
In simple terms, The national coalition is a compulsion for Congress. It help Congress to prolong its life for a few decades, but in the long run, Congress’ mass base is getting eroded. And after a certain period, Congress will be no longer in a position to rally other regional parties around it.
This is why, I would say, Digvijay Singh is not a fool, but what he talks about Single party rule by Congress in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh is utter foolishness. In other words, if any intelligent person is left in Congress, they are forced to talk foolishness. That is the historical destiny of Congress. There is no alternative, but they have to face it.
It is in this context, the above said observation about BJP is significant. Unfortunately BJP folks are not known for the culture of promoting the culture of scholarship. Most BJP sympatisers find enjoyment not by participating in any discussion, with any logical argument, but by abusing other participants. Please watch any discussion about Narendra Modi or BJP related issue in National TV channels (most old clips are available there). Most BJP supporters try to shout down opposing views. But, if any one with some rational mind in BJP, it is important for them to read the above mentioned article. That has very important points for BJP.
Unlike Congress, BJP expanded its base from one region to another region and from one community to another community over a long long period of time. And BJP has also created a powerful mass base over the decades. It is one of the very few parties in India, other than Left Parties, DMK and BSP, with a committed cadre base.
But the Babri Masjid agitation is a big turning point in the history of BJP. Instead of BJP growing slowly by recruiting ideologically committed cadres, and slowly expanding political base, Babri Masjid movement ensured BJP grew in leaps and bounds. By late 1990s, there was a widespread belief that BJP is the party of future. As a result of this all vested interests jumped into BJP’s boat. An important social theory is that, when a certain social group is entering an organization, it would naturally try to dominate that space and as a result of it, they will try to push others out. When vested interests joined BJP, naturally they pushed the ideologically motivated guys out. When poeple like Arun Shourie and Govindacharya feel they are getting suffocated, naturally, village level cadres would get alienated from BJP. Due to its rabidly communal politics, it may be still holding some of its ideologically motivated cadres. Nevertheless, BJP of 2011 is qualitatively different from BJP of 1970s. We have seen a top BJP leader’s son lighting narcotics with 500 rupees currency note. Such a party can never attract cadres with ideological fervor.
One reason why BJP was forced to rely on gimmicks in politics is that, BJP’s ideological moorings. The communal politics of BJP helped it grow in a nation which has predominantly Hindu Population. But in many constituencies, the same communal politics is preventing it from reaching out to a significant percentage of vote base. It simply means, in any constituency where there are more than 10% of minorities, Dalits, Left votes or secular votes, it is difficult for BJP to win seats continuously. In simple terms, in the biggest states of India, Uttar Pradesh and BIhar, BJP’s own local leaders dont want their star campaigner to campaign during election. BJP CAN NEVER COME OUT OF THIS PREDICAMENT. The day BJP come out of this desperate straits, that day BJP will no longer be BJP.
I dont say that BJP or Congress wont come to power again in the short run. But BJP or Congress can never stop the erosion of ideologically committed base, without ignoring their short-term political ambitions. It is like re-inventing a political party. That is next to impossible in the case of Congress or BJP. Even the Maoists of Nepal failed in their effort to re-shape its direction. It is easy for an ideologically motivated party to become corrupt, but it is difficult for a party which enjoys power and (opportunities for corruption) to go back to ideological basics.
It is in this context, the above mentioned article in Mail Today is significant. (I cant read the full article). It is in this context we need to understand why Yeddyurappa is cultivating Shobha Karandlaje. Interestingly, when Karandlaje became Electricity minister, she increased the hours power supply is provided in rural areas of Karnataka. But that is only possible, because Yeddyurappa as a finance minister supported her. Shobha Karndlaje giving more power to Karnataka village may be a good news for rural farmers, but it is a bad news for BJP. If you have any doubt ask Anant Kumar. Iswarappa is more senior to Yeddi. When is Iswarappa going to sell his Khaki Shorts in Kalasi Palya’ footpath market, is an interesting political topic.
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Beleaguered BS Yeddyurappa who is under final fire on illegal mining with extensive documentation, thanks to a dedicated team led by Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, is returning back in Monday after 2nd vacation in a tax heaven island, abroad. The first one was in a shady rejuvenation center in Kerala! Regretfully all the shocking real estate deals by the CM’s family and cronies, appear to have hit the shadow.
Key question: Should’nt the Lokayukta police detain him and real estate baron son in the airport on arrival, itself?
The report apparently has concrete proof that will surely ensure Yeddi and his two sons, including MP BY Raghavendra will swiftly go to jail, immediately after questioning by the police. Anticipating this certain indictment by any court of law, the ‘premium legal team’ of Yeddi, Reddy and gang, is already planning its next move.
What is indeed ironic is that all the others names in the report are all exploring various legal options to escape the law, jail and severe punishment under the care of the SC, since the Govt is Manmohansingam led by the Italian. What better proof to explain the fact that Indian democracy has become a pseudo banana republic!
While the involvement of all the most crooked ministers, many ‘noted politicians’ of various parties and more than 600 bureaucrats in the biggest loot of the country in the last 10 years, makes President’s rile most obvious, one can see the shameless, double standard BJP trying to replace Yeddi clan with another ‘cartel proposed Lingayat’ or Ananth Kumar led clone team.
Only the Supreme Court and probably Governor Bhardwaj too can finally save the helpless people of Karnataka!
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Franchisee? Delightful analogy. Each franchisee has it’s own mind and agenda. Nobody listens to the parent company.
Gadkari is lead by the franchisees than the other way around.
Truly tragic state of affairs.
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Atleast having more than just one Satrap is better. No ?
Why should a corporation election candidacy be decided by a high command on Janpath?
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