May
19
LK Advani’s last supper
Filed Under Politics
One wonders what a man like LK Advani is going through when having dinner the evening before what could be the most important day of his political career.
I was having coffee at Delhi’s Oberoi Hotel when Mr. Advani walked in with his family for dinner at around 11 pm. In less than 12 hours from then, the results to the country’s General Elections would have been out to determine who would form the next Government. For Mr. Advani, it was probably his last shot at achieving his ambitions of becoming Prime Minister. An unfavourable result could be a call for him to finally call it a day.
When he walked in, and even from his table, the way he was looking at our group seemed to convey he wanted to talk to us. Or maybe this is how publicly famous people tend to look at everyone. I would have loved to walk up to him and chat him up, but felt it inappropriate to disturb a family moment. But I could not help constantly looking towards him and wondering what was going on in his mind.
His calm expression was in sharp contrast to his firebrand, rabble-rousing Hindutva image. His face was glowing, and did not seem like that of a man who had just spent the last two months campaigning in heat and dust across the country. At 83, he had the stature of someone in his 50s. Maybe that’s what led his campaign managers to project him as a ‘youthful’ leader.
Perhaps he knew he was not going to win. The exit polls had not given the BJP led NDA coalition anything to cheer about. But these do go wrong. Instinctively I knew BJP was not coming back – but that was a lay person’s view. But the BJP had done little right over the past five years in Opposition to merit any other views. Even if the Congress led UPA Government had not scored too many brownie points in my book during the same period.
As it turned out, I may have witnessed to what was LK Advani’s last supper as a political heavyweight. By brunch the following day, he would cease to be the future of the country. It would be time to pass on the baton.
Comments
2 Responses to “LK Advani’s last supper”
Leave a Reply
absolutely well said A!
Thanks Meenakshi.