Political Defections: Ideological Somersaults and Accountability
Examining the Shifts in Political Loyalties and Ideological Alignments
The 72-year-old Suresh Pachauri, who joined the Congress in 1972, abandoned the secular values he had adhered to for 52 years and joined the BJP a few days ago, citing the Opposition party's rejection of his invitation to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple.
Pachauri, who never won a parliamentary election but was retained in the Rajya Sabha by the Congress for 24 years, did not say if he regretted squandering his life in a party that so strongly disagreed with the RSS-BJP doctrine.
After fiercely criticizing Narendra Modi's political style as the head of the Gujarat unit in the post-2002 era, Arjun Modhwadia, another veteran of the Congress, joined the BJP. He was among the most savage critics of the RSS-BJP, referring to Modi as both a political terrorist and a monkey. Modhwadia also used the same justification, stating that he had been invited to the Ayodhya ceremony but had declined.
Greenhorns like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, and Milind Deora, who many feel are incapable of surviving without the luxuries of power, are not like seasoned politicians like Pachauri and Modhwadia. Even the more senior leaders do not feel obligated to defend their ideological whirlwinds to the public, despite the younger generation's tendency to hold Rahul Gandhi responsible for the desertions.
It has grown as a result of splits, high-profile resignations, and defection. Although there were significant doctrinal differences amongst the departing veteran socialist leaders, the main reason for the big break in 1969 was the personal distaste of several top leaders for Indira Gandhi. Subsequently, Sharad Pawar spearheaded a rebellion against Sonia Gandhi's foreign origins. However, none of these figures adopted the RSS doctrine in order to pursue successful political careers.
The issue of accountability to the electorate has all but been forgotten due to the lack of a compelling political or ideological justification for switching parties. Brijendra Singh, the BJP's Hisar MP, decided to switch parties on Sunday and openly expressed his disapproval of the Modi government's handling of the wrestlers' protest and the Agniveer project. In fact, the Agniveer plan and the wrestlers' problem have deeply distressed Jat voters in some states.
Compare this to the explanation provided by former chief minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan upon joining the BJP. He expressed his admiration for the Prime Minister's inclusive "sabka saath, sabka vikas" politics. It doesn't say whether or whether the party was more inclusive than the BJP when it came to his father S.B. Chavan, the Union home minister, and himself, who served for decades and received large rewards.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
