The book is a comprehensive analysis of the Bharatiya Janata Party as the major architect of the Hindutva politics and ideology since its founding in 1980. The BJP represents two important political legacies; first the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh which was founded by S..P. Mookerjee with the support and organisatioinal cadres of the second of the emergency resistance movement (1975-1977). This political biography of BJP depicts the various phases of organizational and ideological growth of the party. Drawing on substantial collection and analysis of party’s documents, Geeta Puri presents a thorough and gripping account of the Vajpayee-led BJP’s mainstream-centrist thrusts and the Advani-led party’s Hindutva campaigns. The book follows BJP through its social and geographical expansion, political consolidation and parameters of Hindutva, ranging from the latter’s crescendo state to its ‘soft’ version. The volume also explores the political and social constraints and the ideological limits of the BJP’s Hindutva politics. Geeta Puri examines the BJP’s existential dichotomy between identity and power and the consequent ‘ideological self-betrayal’ represented by ‘backburner’ Politics (1998-2004). The book analyses the BJP’s inspirational, organizational and ideological relationship with the RSS and the resulting perpetual ‘identity crisis’ of the party. Geeta Puri underscores the negative implications of the RSS’ back-seat driving’ of the BJP for Indian democracy and politics, and makes a strong case for the RSS to transform itself into a full-fledged political party. Assessing the BJP’s demoralizing debacle in the electioins-2004, this book offers a democratic critique of the Hindutva politics and considerably contributes to our understanding of the evolution of BJP which is still struggling with self-definition.
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