Shekhawat vs Advani?

Bhairon Singh Shekhawat - the former Vice-President of India, former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, former MLA from Bali, Rajasthan (which happens to be my constituency) - enjoys respect of so many people, which only a few politicians enjoy.

Fondly called 'Baabo-sa' (meaning Father or Father-figure in Rajasthani), Shekhawat now wants to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, provided his health allows. And this desire of his has set the whole BJP shivering. Shekhawat, who was a senior leader of the saffron party till 2002, when he won the Vice-Presidential elections as the NDA candidate. After the completion of his tenure as VP, he has not joined the BJP or any other party.

The BJP workers of Rajasthan have raised the slogan "Rajasthan ka ek hi singh.... Bhairon Singh.... Bhairon Singh....". Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who has been a master of coalition politics in the BJP, has been the CM of Rajasthan thrice with each time managing minor governments successfully. Baabo-sa had settled many disputes at the national level in the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was Vajpayee's favourite when it came to settling leaders like Jayalalithaa and Mamata Banerjee in the NDA government. He still remains Vajpayee's close friend.

Being a Vice-President, he was also the speaker of the Rajya Sabha. During that period, he got many friends in the political circles, cutting across party lines.

Bhairon Shingh Shekhawat still enjoys his own place in the hearts of people of Rajasthan. Its an irony that by all these virtues, BJP is denying a ticket to 'the man who has been on a constitutional post'. In BJP President Rajnath Singh's words, Shekhawat has done 'Gangaa Snaan' and he should now not wish to have a bath with well water.

The BJP leaders are suspicious that his move to the Lok Sabha might reopen the leadership issue within the party. One possibility migh be that, in case of a fractured mandate, many parties from the NDA and the 'Third Front' might prefer Shekhawat over Advani.

But the question here arises that why Shekhawat wants to crush the prospects of his one time friend Advani? The reason might be the tussle between him and Vasundhara Raje, who took a long time in finalising the ticket for Jaipur assembly seat to Shekhawat's son-in-law Narpat Singh Rajvi. The war got fierce when Raje called 'senior leaders' demanding LS tickets 'Khandahar' (meaning :: ruins). Shekhawat got back into action by demanding probe into the corruption charges levied against Raje's government. But Shekhawat got 'hurt' when Advani backed Raje despite of his word of caution against her. Now Shekhawat, who brought Vasundhara to Rajasthan, wants her to be out of Rajasthan.

But with Advani looking 'desperate' to become PM (coz this might be his last election.... he's already 82), he might try to resolve the issue and make peace with Shekhawat. With that, things might get back to normal in the BJP.

But a few questions pop up in my mind...

• For how long will we have people who have crossed their 'retirement age' as our leaders? (almost all Prime Ministerial Candidates - Manmohan, Advani, Shekhawat, Sharad Pawar, etc etc etc - all are well above the 'retirement age' which happens to be 58 or 60)
• Will we ever have a 'young' PM?
• Can't we not set a 'retirement age' for our politicans too?

Well, I can see a ray of hope. With 70-year old John McCain being rejected by the US voters and here in our own country, 38-year 'young' Omar Abdullah becoming the CM of Jammu & Kashmir, the trend certainly is changing....