Swamy's grand entry to BJP

And now it becomes official, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy to merge his party with the BJP. The news became official when Swami announced the merger of the Janata Party with the BJP in the presence of BJP President Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari. Ahead of the merger, Swamy held discussions with senior BJP leaders’ at Rajnath Singh’s residence, who accepted the merger of his party in BJP and hoped it will make BJP stronger. While Swami spent his Sunday on twitter accepting congratulations and denying having any rift with the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, many political observers were very apprehensive about the merger. There have already been voices suggesting that for a party grappling with the lack of ability to convince the minorities that it cares about them, picking Swamy and more importantly allowing him to speak may be a liability.

One such political observer Sadanand Dhume tweeted “Dear BJP: The best way to counter a reputation for Hindu chauvinism may not be to induct someone who wants to disenfranchise Muslims.” Dhume said it may even be a better idea for the BJP to merge with erstwhile Karnataka leader BS Yeddyurappa where upsides were more in number than downsides. It also reminds me of how former BJP party leader Ram Jethmalani described Swami to be. He famously described Subramanian Swamy as a “diseased insect” who has led “a life of character assassination, malicious mendacity and sordid blackmail.” But none of Jethmalani’s invective comes close to matching his target’s capacity for vitriol — which has been the lifeblood of his popularity as the hatemonger of the Right, and now earned him a place in the BJP party.

The assumption is that a truly erudite Macaulayputra such as he couldn’t possibly believe the hateful things he spews. He is viewed with the rueful exasperation reserved for a drunken uncle who launches into unhinged tirades at family get-togethers. But now that Swamy is a bona fide opposition leader in an election year — as opposed to a one-man army — he is going to lose that ‘get out of jail’ card. Swamy will be held accountable for his words because he is no longer a category of one, but the representative of a national party trying to win power. Nothing would delight the Congress party more than a BJP honcho who can put Digvijaya Singh to shame. And the media can no longer justify going soft on Swamy when they pounce on every gaffe made by other politicians. Political legitimacy has its price.

For months now, party stalwarts have been promising a ‘new’ BJP, ready to cast off its old saffron-smeared rath yatra image and embrace the forward-thinking mantra of development. The appointment of Amit Shah to head the Uttar Pradesh campaign was one hint that the wind is blowing in the opposite direction towards 1992. Modi’s own ‘burka-clad secularism’ was another. The induction of Swamy, who recently promised “If Modi becomes PM, the Ram temple will definitely be built in Ayodhya.” is the latest. If three instances make a trend, then it is safe to say no such reincarnation is in the works. What is more worrying is the kind of divisive politics that he so strongly believes it. In his recent interview he said “India is 80 percent Hindu. If we rally the Hindu vote and wean away 7 percent of the Muslim population to our side, we will win the elections.” If the BJP plans to risk all on Modi and his brand of Hindu right politics, it is good news indeed. Democracy is served best when the choices are clearly spelled out. Better to cast aside the pretense of a ‘kinder, gentler’ BJP so the voters know exactly what’s on offer.”

The Janata Party president brings with him little more in an electoral battlefield than his gift of gab and an innate ability to get under the skin of the Congress. He could ensure that the core right wing constituency of the BJP remains stoutly behind it. But for the BJP that isn’t really a problem, they already have Modi to do that for them and with comments like being a ‘Hindu nationalist’ he’s already doing it. If the party is attempting to atone for its treatment of Swamy in the 1980s and attempt to present a more neutral face, the merger with Swamy is one that may bring more liabilities than the BJP might care for. But if the party is aiming to polarise voters, get in its ranks a critic then Swamy’s steadfastness on issues might help in the media race.

The BJP will now be held accountable for every one of Swamy’s slanderous theories, and with the gleeful assistance of the Congress party machine. Until now, there was no profit in going after Swamy since it rewarded him with the publicity he so craved. Politically too, it is unlikely that Swamy will ensure any vote share impact in Tamil Nadu. In the final analysis it seems more like Swamy will benefit more from the BJP, than the other way around. So while it’s a win-win situation for Subramanian Swamy, for the saffron party it is nothing but an additional baggage which will do them more bad than good or in a more surreal tone, make no difference at all.  

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