Strange things are happening in the world’s largest party. Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has stirred up turmoil within the BJP by dashing off a letter to finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman making a strong pitch for removing the GST on life insurance and other health insurance policies such as Mediclaim, particularly for the elderly. In normal times, the demand would not have assumed much traction than what a senior minister is pitching for the greater good.
But these are not normal times. Especially for the BJP, which has witnessed more than unease since Narendra Modi failed to secure a majority in the recent Lok Sabha polls. He has become Prime Minister for the third time, but now as the head of a coalition government.
After June 4, the RSS, which has been lying dormant for the past decade, has suddenly come to life and has started telling one or two things on the issue of governance as well as how arrogance is counter-productive in public life. The and the too are doing their jobs, occasionally. The Modi chariot no longer flies in the air.
The crisis in the Uttar Pradesh BJP is testing the patience and leadership of Mr Modi. Yogi Adityanath is undeterred by the attacks of detractors, including deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, and has made it known that he is there to stay, come what may. The Hindutva poster boy sees himself in a larger role when he feels that the chips are down for the PM.
Mr Maurya and other Yogi detractors are seen to be suppor.