Read my lips: Does Advani's 'maun vrat' at BJP NE meet hint at discord with team Modi?

In many ways this BJP National Executive - the first since Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister and Amit Shah as party president - is a departure from the past, not so much in substance but surely in symbolism and general atmospherics. The fact that party patriarch LK Advani declined to make his usual “guidance speech” in the concluding session is by itself a watershed moment in the BJP’s history. While it’s true that he had been gradually pushed to the margins and is no longer a force of consequence in the BJP or the Modi government, his decision to be nothing more than a mute spectator is an altogether different thing. Advani was expected to make an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the party by dwelling into the past, making a reasoned valuation of the present political scenario, and present a vision for the future. [caption id=“attachment_2184987” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Advani had refused to speak at the NE meet[/caption] A party leader said the “the Margdarshak mandal has become a mookdarshak mandal.” That too when from the BJP’s perspective, this Executive meet is no ordinary one. In addition to the reasons cited above, what makes this National Executive meet special, is that it roughly coincides with the 35th year of the foundation of the BJP. The day, 4 April is a very significant date in BJP’s political calendar. It was on this date, 35 years ago, the then Bharatiya Jansangh was thrown out of Janata Party, to which it was one of the constituents, on issue of dual membership. Incidentally, that had happened on Good Friday. And in a strange coincidence, the Bangalore National Executive also began on Good Friday. The BJP, as it is known today was formed two days later on April 6 1980, which coincided with Easter Sunday. Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee were the two principal architects of this move to form a new party. Vajpayee, as is known, is unwell and can’t move or talk. Even the Bharat Ratna was conferred to him by President Pranab Mukherjee at his residence. That leaves Advani who is 88 but has been in good health. His physical firness defies his biological age. Although there has been some pretence of a working relationship between him and Modi, the turn of events as has been displayed by Advani’s decision to be completely silent on an occasion as significant as this, means that that the trust deficit amongst them is far deeper than perceived. Advani was on the dais throughout the day on Friday but has not spoken nor is likely to speak on Saturday when the Executive will close with Modi’s concluding remarks. He was also there on the podium at the public rally addressed by Modi, Shah and other a host of other leaders.  His decision not to speak is a first of its kind situation in the party’s history. The BJP current leadership did its bit to request Advani to speak but he had refused. The matter seems to have ended there. Sources said there has not been much effort to persuade him to rethink and review his position. The veteran leader was reportedly a bit hurt because he was not asked to campaign for the Delhi assembly elections even though he was in the Capital throughout the election period. He was not asked to address even a single rally, nor was he invited for any strategy meet, either in Parliament or in the party. There is an argument that the party leadership, Modi and Shah have perhaps taken the 75 plus retirement formula a bit too seriously, both in letter and spirit and have pushed seniors on a path of total retirement. Modi did visit Advani’s home on his 88 birthday and 5oth marriage anniversary but beyond niceties like the exchange of greetings, substantive talks or any other confidence building measures have not taken place. Though no party leader is willing to talk on record about Advani, those close to him and those in disagreement ironically agree that “it’s not really consequential whether he speaks or not.” Incidentally, Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Amit Shah chose to omit any reference to history despite the party gearing up to celebrate 35 years of its inception. They will have their reasons for that. Its clear that the BJP’s present is not comfortable with the past and vice versa. It’s significant that this chasm comes out at at time of two massive victories for the BJP - winning an absolute majority in Parliament on its own and becoming the largest political party in the world. It is also the first time that the media has been not allowed anywhere near the actual venue for the meet, the five star Lalit Ashok. National Executive meets have always been closed door affair but media was issued passes around the premises. There have of course been official media briefings, two or three a day, but no off record in-depth analytical briefings or senior leaders dropping by the media centre just to say hello and have a cup of tea. These tradition also seem to be relegated to the realms of nostalgia for the good old days.