Not one to be left behind, soon after BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani launched his blog, 75-year-old BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi inaugurated his blog and website (www.drmurlimanoharjoshi.in).
Joshi is not flattered by suggestions that he has drawn inspiration from Advani, though. Not surprising, since Joshi and Advani are not known to be the best of friends. “I can just pity your thinking, if you are making such comparisons when there are serious issues to be discussed,” said an infuriated Joshi.
But it’s natural to compare. Both leaders are BJP stalwarts, but while Advani is the party’s prime ministerial candidate, Joshi is just another Lok Sabha candidate — who has announced his leadership skills through his blog.
Advani’s blog is political. “Elections to the 15th Lok Sabha are fast approaching. Naturally, much of my communication will be political in nature and election-oriented,” the 81-year-old says in a post. Joshi, by contrast, emphasises that his blog is not “political”. “It will discuss my individual views on global problems,” he told HT. What it does is project Joshi’s leadership skills in almost superhuman terms.
“Dr Murli Manohar Joshi reeks of decency when he speaks his high-brow mind” is how the homepage introduces him. The trumpet then blows harder. “Today, Dr Joshi has come to epitomise the resurgent India’s yearning for self-expression”. The narrative gets even more bombastic. “To top it all, Dr Joshi’s charismatic leadership and his exceedingly clear sense of history have made him the darling of the masses.” The blog is clearly Joshi’s way of reaching out to the younger, tech-savvy, white-collar Indian.
{{/usCountry}}“Dr Murli Manohar Joshi reeks of decency when he speaks his high-brow mind” is how the homepage introduces him. The trumpet then blows harder. “Today, Dr Joshi has come to epitomise the resurgent India’s yearning for self-expression”. The narrative gets even more bombastic. “To top it all, Dr Joshi’s charismatic leadership and his exceedingly clear sense of history have made him the darling of the masses.” The blog is clearly Joshi’s way of reaching out to the younger, tech-savvy, white-collar Indian.
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