There we go again. The Narendra Modi-LK Advani spat is back in full public view, playing itself out across the front pages of the national newspapers. It is tempting to view this latest skirmish as one more instance of a bitter old man throwing yet another tantrum; making one more failed attempt to assert his diminishing status. But this time around, it is Modi and not Advani who stands to lose out.
The BJP's prime ministerial nominee is indeed unassailable in terms of his power within the party. But his public image remains vulnerable to the lingering perceptions of authoritarianism. Modi may find that he has won the Gandhinagar battle only to lose the bigger PR war. It would, in fact, be far wiser to just give the venerable elder of his party whatever he wants. And here's why.
One, standing firm feeds the paranoia.
Reuters
According to news reports, Advani is worried about his electoral prospects in Modi's backyard, as the Telegraph reports:
Some aides had 'convinced' Advani that Madhya Pradesh's capital would be more 'hospitable' than that of Gujarat because of the fear of 'sabotage' by BJP cadres. The party ranks are yet to forget the dissent Advani openly displayed when Modi was declared as the BJP's pick for Prime Minister.
While a Gujarat BJP leader dismisses such fears as unwarranted -- and NaMo makes noises about his heartfelt desire for Advani's victory -- no one can blame the man for being a little worried. After all, politics is one long grudge match.
Even if his fears are misplaced, the one sure way to defuse the paranoia is to allow Advani to run from wherever he wants. The reality is that Advani is no longer a threat, be it in Gandhinagar or Bhopal. Giving an old warhorse that privilege in his twilight years shows grace not weakness.
Two, Advani has the better argument. There is no good reason why Advani has to run from Gandhinagar. The argument put forward by the Modi side -- that such "a move would be projected as fresh evidence of a war between Modi and Advani" -- is absurd since the current face-off is already evidence of the same.
Besides, Advani has a winning point when he points to the blatant double standard that allows Modi and Rajnath Singh to contest from seats of their choice -- evicting senior leaders, if need be -- but denies Advani the same luxury. Bullying Advani into accepting Gandhinagar won't squelch the perception, but rather underline his powerlessness. And no good PR comes of kicking an old man when he is down.
Three, remember that adage about keeping your enemies closer. "The old order has to make way for the new dispensation headed by Modi," a BJP source tells the Telegraph. And that is as it should be. But the old order must also be given due deference, and allowed to a dignified slide into irrelevance. It is foolish -- even dangerous -- to engineer a needless confrontation that pushes Advani into a corner, where he has to choose between his self-respect and losing his Lok Sabha seat.
Reports that "the party is veering towards a 'so-be-it' moment if the octogenarian refused to contest the election" bodes ill for Modi in the weeks ahead if Advani chooses to call his bluff. He is no local Gujarat politico on the outs with the party, but a national leader who commands significant attention both within and outside the BJP. He may not be powerful enough to take Modi down, but there is no doubt that Advani can do serious PR damage from the sidelines. There is no surer guarantee of bad press than a bitter Advani with nothing left to lose, eager to air the party's dirty laundry to anyone who will listen.
Four, be a uniter not a divider. Modi's polarising personality remains the biggest question mark hanging over his prime ministerial ambitions. Even those attracted to his promise of governance worry about his ability to effectively lead a fractious and diverse alliance at the Centre.
The much-publicised overtures to third parties are designed to defuse exactly these worries. But all that coalition-building will come to naught if Modi is unable to keep his own troops together. After all, a man who can't handle dissent within his own party can hardly be expected to muster up the political finesse required to keep far more unruly and powerful allies in line.
In his previous confrontations with Advani, the Gujarat CM had something to prove, i.e. his political supremacy. But now that the same has already been established, beating up on the octogenarian makes him look weak not strong -- and in exactly the areas where he has most to prove.
Paradoxically, "losing" this latest battle will make Modi look more powerful than ever as he plays the gracious victor throwing a bone to his vanquished and increasingly irrelevant enemy.
Modi doesn't need to stoop to conquer Advani. Just bend a wee bit.
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