The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in India rose to prominance with party leader L K Advanis Rath Yatra in 1992, that lead to the demolition of the Babari Masjid in Ayodhya. The BJP appealed to the large section of Hindus who saw the party as the protector of Hindu interests. Whilst the Indian National Congress was happy to play the poverty and minority interest card the Hindus aligned with the BJP - but not all of them. The phenomenal rise of the BJP saw them capture power in 1998 but not without the support of coalition parties that were not as hard liners.
To gain votes beyond the Hindu base BJP softened their stance and lost the Hindu vote in the process. Congress recaptured power in 2003 and BJP has been in a steady decline ever since. In the latest bid to woo back its political base Mr. L K Advani completed yet another Rath Yatra recently - signs of party utterly confused and lacking any kind of imagination. What the BJP fails to understand was in 92 India was on the verge of bankruptcy, under developed and unsophisticated country. Today the country stands on the economic forefront, unemployment is marginal and very few people have the time or desire to follow Advanis Rath.
BJP needs to re-invent itself in the interest of modern India or it risks passing away into the oblivion of India's political landscape.
