To the Party with a difference

Can BJP once prove to itself and everyone else that its really a party with a difference by supporting Manmohan Singh on the Nuclear Deal. It has a lot to gain and little to lose. Look at the present scenario:- Manmohan Singh has staked the future of his government for a deal which was initiated by BJP in first place. None of the original architects of the deal : AB Vajpyee, Jaswant Singh or Brijesh Patel have said anything negative about the deal which the present government brokered, which means that its consistent with what they have in mind. So in effect UPA govt is carrying forward the work done by NDA. Yet the moment the Left withdraw its support BJP was the first to ask for the government to prove its strength on the floor of the parliament. In a way they have joined hands with the Left to bring down the government.

If India wants to see itself as future economic power with the benefits of development reaching the lowest of the society, it needs to secure its energy future. And the way to do that is through Nuclear and Non Conventional sources of energy, especially with crude prices hovering over 140 USD there is no other way. Not signing of the deal means India won't get any assistance on Nuclear Energy for civilian usage not only from US but from all the other 45 NSG countries. Australia had agreed to provide India with Uranium but has changed its stand to say - Not unless India agrees to sign the deal. As much as India would like to tout its scientific powers in this area, let’s be honest - we haven't seen anything worth mentioning. So at some stage or other we need to join with US and other NSG countries in this. Why not do it now when the situation is not of present desperation but of securing the future?

If BJP supports Manmohan Singh on the deal, it sends a strong signal to the world community that both the major political forces in India are for the deal. So it’s not dependent on who is in government. Today the Indian middle class understands the need for the energy and subsequently of the deal. This is the same class which forms the major vote bank of BJP. Again the deal is to be done with US, which is more a friend of the right winged BJP then the Congress.

What does BJP gain if the government doesn’t survive the no-confidence motion - A chance to embarrass the government and bringing upon early elections? With its confidence riding high after the recent electoral benefits it may be thinking it’s a chance worth taking, but how much of a time does it get. With the motion scheduled in early august, even if the elections are to happen they won’t happen before the flag end of the year. On the other hand if the government doesn’t fall, it will be completing its term in May and we may still be seeing elections held in early part of next year. At best this gives BJP a 2 month period – with a price of putting shallow political gains ahead of larger national interest and embarrassing a good man (how many people will be ready to risk the PM’s post for something they believe in)

With supporting the deal, it sends a signal to the world community, can tout itself as a party with a difference – opposition is only of the ideology and use the 2 months to prepare itself for the larger battle of Lok Sabha elections.

A comment about the RSS leadership in Nagpur – In some ways it’s similar to the Communist leadership. Blinded by the prejudices of the past and not able to see what the present holds. Communist are blinded by everything American and RSS by everything Congress.