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Journalism of Courage
I had always wondered about what transpires behind closed doors during a political party’s conventions and executive committee meetings. What could be the net gain of the party after these expensive rituals? Mulayam Singh Yadav earned a lot of flak in 1993 for organising the first national executive committee meeting of the Samajwadi Party in a three-star hotel in Agra.
"See the true colours of the neo-socialists," a fellow reporter had then remarked. An undaunted Mulayam organised the next meet in a five-star hotel in Lucknow. The socialist leaders were so insulated from reality in their air-conditioned rooms that they could not sense an impending coup by their coalition partner, the Bahujan Samaj Party. The BSP toppled the state government and formed an alternative one with the help of the BJP.
The BJP’s national executive, held at a five-star hotel in Jaipur in the third week of August, was more of the same, apart from an unprecedented level of security. Nobody except BJP leaders and previously vettedmedia personnel was allowed to enter the hotel premises. The presence of the prime minister and the home minister in the hotel seemed to have put the police on edge. Almost the entire seven-storey hotel had been booked by the BJP. Most of the rooms were occupied by party leaders, Union ministers, chief ministers and their personal and official staff. "The BJP seems to be justifying its tag of being a traders’ party," commented a wag.
Deliberations were held in a conference hall, strictly out of bounds for everyone except the delegates. The press was not allowed inside the hotel except to attend official briefings. Hanging around in the lush, green lawns, the only occupation of reporters, especially those from the electronic media, was to wait for a BJP leader to come out and grab a quick `bite’. A.B. Vajpayee was taken aback at finding himself surrounding by TV cameras on his way back from the loo. Pramod Mahajan had a hard time convincing journalists that he was not authorised to brief them. Reporters kepttrying to buttonhole their `contacts’. And more often than not, at the end of the day they had to return disappointed.
But were the leaders really busy thrashing out political problems like Jayalalitha’s threat to topple the Union government, an impending Cabinet reshuffle, preparations for the forthcoming Assembly elections in four states including Rajasthan and organisational changes within the party?
Besides the sermons given by the top party brass, there were few resolutions adopted at the three-day convention. The delegates were to discuss the resolutions. Some did participate, but for most it was just good fun. They enjoyed exotic Rajasthani dishes and napped heavily. State BJP leaders were trying to book tickets for the forthcoming Assembly elections by tickling the palates of their bosses.
The remaining time was `utilised’ in shopping, sightseeing and catching up with friends. Two leaders from the Bihar unit were found wondering whether Laloo’s second daughter would get married to Mulayam’s son.A prominent Bihar BJP leader reached Jaipur only hours before the convention came to an end. Kalyan Singh arrived late on the second day’s evening and flew back early next morning. The deputy chief minister of a BJP-ruled state was spotted buying Jaipuri saris and quilts while a local BJP activist had opened a mini sari shop in the hotel manager’s room.
So what business was transacted? Jayalalitha wasn’t discussed ("for strategic reasons"). Most of the talk focussed on the forthcoming Assembly polls. Only about 50 of 150-odd delegates could put across their views. And the net gain, as most leaders conceded privately, was a good outing, a few nice social evenings, gourmet fare and some cutting-edge shopping.
