top of page

By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

From Ideology to Electability

BJP is blending ideology with pragmatism, elevating leaders from rival parties to power New Delhi: The growing tendency of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to elevate leaders from other parties to the position of Chief Minister represents a shift, one that reflects not only a recalibration of the party's strategy but also the evolving character of Indian politics itself. Once known primarily as a cadre-based party anchored firmly in ideological commitment, the BJP has entered a phase where...

From Ideology to Electability

BJP is blending ideology with pragmatism, elevating leaders from rival parties to power New Delhi: The growing tendency of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to elevate leaders from other parties to the position of Chief Minister represents a shift, one that reflects not only a recalibration of the party's strategy but also the evolving character of Indian politics itself. Once known primarily as a cadre-based party anchored firmly in ideological commitment, the BJP has entered a phase where political pragmatism is accorded equal importance alongside ideology. The clearest evidence of this transformation lies in the rising number of leaders who, after crossing over from other parties, have not only found space within the BJP but have gone on to occupy the highest offices of power. Names such as Basavaraj Bommai in Karnataka, Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam, and most recently Samrat Choudhary in Bihar have come to embody this trend. Each of these leaders had prior political affiliations outside the BJP, yet after joining the party, their stature and responsibilities have grown significantly. This is not an ad hoc development, but the outcome of a carefully crafted, multi-layered strategy. At the heart of this strategy lies a decisive emphasis on "winning ability." The BJP is no longer determining leadership solely on the basis of ideological loyalty, instead, it is prioritising individuals who possess electoral appeal, grassroots influence, and the capacity to navigate complex social equations. This explains why Himanta Biswa Sarma rose swiftly within the BJP to become Chief Minister and one of the party's most influential figures in the Northeast, who spent nearly two decades in the Congress. Similarly, leaders like Pema Khandu in Arunachal Pradesh, N. Biren Singh in Manipur, and Manik Saha in Tripura underscore the party's willingness to rely on strong local faces to expand its footprint in the Northeast, even if those leaders once belonged to the Congress. In Uttar Pradesh, the elevation of Brajesh Pathak, a former Bahujan Samaj Party leader, to the post of Deputy Chief Minister reflects a similar attempt to balance social equations. Key Driver One key driver of this approach is the relative absence of strong indigenous leadership in several states. In regions where the BJP historically lacked widely accepted local faces, turning to experienced leaders from other parties has proven to be a pragmatic solution. This marks a shift away from ideological rigidity toward an acceptance of political realities. A second critical factor is the need to manage caste and regional equations. Social structures continue to play a decisive role in Indian elections, and political success often hinges on aligning with these dynamics. In Bihar, the elevation of Samrat Choudhary is widely seen as an attempt to consolidate OBC/Kurmi support, while in Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai's leadership aligns with the influence of the Lingayat community. The third dimension of this strategy is the systematic weakening of the opposition. By inducting influential leaders from rival parties and assigning them significant roles, the BJP not only strengthens its own ranks but also erodes the organizational capacity of its competitors. The induction of leaders such as Jyotiraditya Scindia, Narayan Rane, R. P. N. Singh, and Jitin Prasada, all of whom have been entrusted with key responsibilities in government and party structures, illustrates this approach. Two Levels The BJP's model now appears to function on two distinct levels: a strong and centralized leadership at the top, and influential local faces at the state level. Under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, the central command remains cohesive and firmly in control, while states are led by individuals capable of delivering electoral victories, irrespective of their political past. The rise of Suvendu Adhikari in West Bengal further exemplifies this strategy. Once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, Adhikari is now one of the BJP's principal faces in the state, forming a cornerstone of the party's expansion efforts. The message is unmistakable clear that the opportunities within the BJP are no longer confined to its traditional cadre. Any leader with mass appeal and capability can aspire to the top. This shift also reflects the party's organisational confidence. The BJP believes its institutional structure is robust enough to quickly integrate leaders from outside and align them with its broader objectives. This has enabled a blend of ideological flexibility and political pragmatism. That said, the strategy is not without its internal contradictions. For long-time party workers, the rapid rise of leaders from outside may send mixed signals, potentially creating tensions within the cadre. Managing this balance will be a critical test for the party in the years ahead. Even so, in a broader sense, the BJP's approach represents a fusion of ideology and pragmatism. Its goals are clear that secure electoral victories, expand rapidly into new regions, and systematically weaken the opposition.

‘Never Give Up’

Get ready to meet the extraordinary Dr. Shadab Ahmed, a true gem of a person whose story is sure to inspire and impress you. Dr. Ahmed is a professional Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and Quality-Assurance expert based in India, who as the protean author of more than 12 books on Ethnic Culture, Linguistic Historiography and Socio-Cultural Analysis, is renowned globally as an author, poet, translator and columnist.


Over the past decade, Dr. Ahmed has carved an unparalleled place for himself in the Indian, Ottoman and Persian anthropological prose poetry. An extra-academic scholar of Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Urdu, Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Brajbhasha and Castilian literature, Dr. Ahmed has translated, paraphrased, transliterated, composed, edited and published numerous books and articles, several of which are trailblazing in the Indian and overseas literary communities and libraries.

Dr. Ahmed is self-taught in several literary traditions and critics and scholars often remark on the way he reconstructs complex verses, preserving the spirit of the original text while expanding its imagery and context.


Here are the excerpts of his interaction with Shiv Sethi.


Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind your writing, and what readers can expect from it?

My inspiration to write was precociously initiated by my father, who asserted that you won't be able to write a book ever. Since my formative years, I was into books and reading, so much so that books became my avocation. Preceding to mature as a Bibliomaniac, I became a Bibliophile penultimately. My readers can expect from me an abridged version of history across the Indian, Ottoman and Turkish empires and dynasties, which is versified considering both the “pre-text” of the verse in the bygone times and the “cont-text” of the verse in contemporary times.


Can you tell us about your background?

I come from a deprived and destitute background, strictu sensu, and it was an arduous endurance to keep up reading and adopt a multi-linguistic attitude. I would just say over the years, I have seen my pneuma altering perception from a protagonist to an antagonist and vice-versa.


How do you balance your work as a doctor with your passion for writing?

When I am working, I am not writing? When I am writing, I am not working? This is the most fundamental and elementary balance I maintain. I love both working and writing. When you love the things you do, they aren't things anymore. They become your love affairs.


So much so, my perception & outlook has adapted over it. I find explicit words in arbitrary observations which most people will attribute to inexplicit randomness. My submerged mind keeps making climacteric observations all through the commotions by the day, and the panorama of the silent night develops those implicit annotations the mind has made, extrapolating them in words. The words combine to form sentences. The sentences get rearranged to rhyme versified. The verses together form a narrative.


What challenges have you faced as a writer, and how have you overcome them?

The road up there was not so easy, a lot was sacrificed to retain so many. When I started writing - I was mocked, ridiculed, hated, despised and disliked from my near and dear ones. It was made abundantly clear to me that writing is a colossal mistake, and you would incur the wrath of all the authoritative and benevolent Gods across the Abrahamic and Non-Abrahamic religious spectrums. But at the end, it was just a poor simple boy who followed his dreams. He fought and prevailed against all odds. But when the steaks are juicy, the lobsters would be buttery as well.


One last question before we conclude the interview for today. What are your future plans for writing, and can we expect more books from you in the future?

I am working on several academic and non-academic books at the moment, and I am focusing on the foremost publishing conglomerates across both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres for future publications. My future books will be more contextually verified and historiographically informed. There would be a key balance of both the Revisionist and the Dialectical historico-critical analysis. Progress is undoubtly slow for my other professional and personal commitments, but the books are coming out substantially interesting that I presumed, both perceptively and contextually.


This year, two of my books would be releasing - "The Capetian House", which is translated from Latin and Anglo-Norman, and takes the reader back to the dominant influence of religion in Europe through the House of the Capet monarchs, and documents the rise and fall, heroism, persecution and Holy Wars, religious upheaval and adulterous affairs of the most powerful kingdom of Christendom in Medieval France.


Another book based on Medievalist and Feudal History would be "The Lord's Battalions - The First Crusade for the Holy Land", and takes the readers back to the rise of Militant Catholicism and the consolidation of Papal power in the Levant and Anatolia against the Seljuk Empire, Sultanate of Rum, Fatimid Caliphate and Turkish Danishmends. Stay tuned and make sure to buy your copy. Godspeed and Godbless!

Comments

bottom of page