Column

The collective mourning in this country, cutting across party lines, for Benazir Bhutto manifested itself in rather unexpected ways. LK Advani dug out from among a collection of hidden treasures a small painting the slain Pakistani leader had presented him in 2001. Advani was home minister then and Bhutto was on a private visit to India.

The painting remained buried in a storeroom in the BJP leader’s residence. But when news of her tragic assassination hit the world, his daughter Pratibha hunted out the painting and hung it up in her father’s study. It now occupies a prominent spot in the room, directly opposite Advani’s table.

The two leaders had developed a warm relationship over the past few years that saw them exchanging books and phone calls. No wonder Advani wrote in the condolence book at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi that he and his family had lost a personal friend. Sindhi bonding can be as strong as cross-border Punjabiyat.

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Some mourned, others worried about self-protection. The solemn all-party meeting called by the government to show solidarity with Pakistan in its hour of crisis eventually degenerated into a spectacle of self-centred behaviour with demands coming thick and fast to enhance VIP security.

Regional parties made the loudest noises with Samajwadi Party MP Shahid Siddiqi leading the pack. He wanted more personal security officers for Mulayam Singh Yadav in view of the grave security situation.

Not to be outdone, BSP’s Satish Misra jumped up to stress that Mayawati was in greater danger after the recent arrest in UP of some extremist elements who were plotting to assassinate her.

Akali Dal’s Sukhdev Dhindsa was the next to join the chorus on behalf of Punjab chief minister Prakash Singh Badal. Who knows whether they were driven by competitive loyalty or genuine fears, but the I-me-mine attitude soured the atmosphere. It was left to Pranab Mukherjee to point out that this was hardly the time or place to raise such issues.

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The so-called Third Front, or the United National Progressive Alliance as it’s now known, may as well give up. AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa was the first to jump ship.

Now it’s the turn of INLD’s Om Prakash Chautala. Much to the chagrin of the secularists, Chautala rushed to Ahmedabad for Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. He flew in a private plane hired by the Punjab government to ferry three Akali ministers to Gujarat.

Then, as if to rub salt into secular wounds, Chautala drove to Vajpayee’s residence on his return, to wish the former PM for his birthday. It looks like Chautala has discarded the UNPA as a bad investment and is now trying to worm his way back into the NDA after having walked out of it in a huff.

TAILPIECE
A not-so-subtle campaign has started in the BJP to brand Arun Jaitley as the party’s lucky mascot. He’s the man with the Midas touch, it’s being said, with the BJP striking gold in every election he oversees as chief campaign spokesperson.

His record is undoubtedly impressive, starting with Gujarat in 2002, then on to Madhya Pradesh in 2003, Karnataka in 2004, Bihar in 2005, Punjab in 2007 and Gujarat again for the second time.

He’s now looking to parachute into Karnataka for the upcoming polls. Will he finally meet his Waterloo? Or will he notch up another victory? It’s going to be a tough call after the manner in which the BJP disgraced itself with Deve Gowda.

Email:a_jerath@dnaindia.net