Mahajan's departure creates void in BJP

New Delhi, May 7 : Who will fill the void? This question is upper-most in the mind of the top BJP leadership as it seeks to deal with the post Pramod Mahajan era.

The untimely demise of the BJP's master strategist has triggered a debate in the party on whether there is any other leader in its ranks to fill the vacuum.

While former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has said "Mahajan is irreplaceable", other senior partymen are of the opinion that his replacement is not an issue and the main problem confronting the party is whether there is anyone who could effectively discharge the multi-dimensional role he was shouldering.

Many are, however, putting up a brave front, saying there is no dearth of leaders in the party.

A majority of BJP leaders who refused to be quoted said that among the 'Gen-Next' leaders in the party, the prominent ones are party president Rajnath Singh, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, former party president M Venkaiah Naidu, Mr Arun Jaitley, and Ms Sushma Swaraj.

BJP observers said most of these leaders have their own strong points as well as the weak ones but Mahajan scored over them because he successfully grappled major hurdles and emerged as a complete leader to replace the old war-horses.

The techno-savvy Mahajan was always at ease in handling ticklish issues like raising funds, interacting with political parties in and outside the NDA and charting out fool-proof poll strategies.

BJP General Secretary and spokesman Arun Jaitley, who was entrusted with the task of supervising the party's campaign in the ongoing assembly polls along with Mahajan, despite being dubbed as "a drawing room politician", has to his credit the NDA's victory in Bihar, where the Lalu-Rabri regime was unseated after 15 years in power. His strategies, and oratorial skills have proved successful so far on many occasions. But his biggest drawback is that he has faced only one election so far and that too the students union polls in during his college days at the Delhi University. However, his legal background, parliamentary skills and adept handling of several ministries in the NDA regime are factors in his favour.

Former BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu, who had to demit office following the party's defeat in the 2004 Lok Sabha election and to pave the way for former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, also enjoys some support base but many feel his influence is confined to Andhra Pradesh and some southern states with a limited hold in Hindi heartland states, considered BJP strongholds.

A senior party leader, however, said Mr Naidu had essayed important roles in the party and was instrumental in resource mobilisation in the past three or four years. But Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is the'' man to watch'', according to BJP observers. They claim he has exhibited good administrative skills, leadership qualities and enjoys a mass base.

After successfully surviving the a full throttle attack by the opposition in the wake of theGujarat riots, he not only propelled the BJP to power with a two-thirds majority in the state assembly.

The recognition of Gujarat as a best administered state by the Rajiv Foundation is another feather in his cap.

Although insiders feel he ''almost equals all the qualities'' of Mr Mahajan and would find favour with the RSS, they have apprehensions on whether the BJP would be able to win the confidence of other parties to stay in coalition politics if he was given a prominent role at the central level.

Ms Swaraj is the most prominent woman leader with tested oratorial and parliamentary skills. But her biggest weak point is that she has not faced any direct election after her Bellary defeat by Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the last Parliamentary polls.

The BJP's effort to win back Delhi projecting her as the Chief Minister seven years ago also proved to be a disaster. However, the party feels she can counter expelled BJP leader Uma Bharti who has floated her own party Bharatiya Janashakti.

Mr Rajnath Singh and former UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh are also among the front-ranking leaders. But their appeal, partymen say, is confined to Uttar Pradesh and the party needs a versatile personality with an all India appeal in the coalition era. Former Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister and brother-in-law of late Mahajan, Mr Gopinath Munde, has a ''limited clout'' outside Maharashtra. The same is true in the case of Party General Secretary Ananth Kumar, who hails from Karnataka.

Former union minister and party general secretary Ravi Shanker Prasad is another prominent leader and partymen vouch that that he is a good orator, administrator and has the ability to take up any serious responsibility entrusted to him.

Many party insiders feel that Ms Uma Bharti could have come to the forefront but she has already parted ways with the party.

UNI

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