Bhajpa’, as it is known in Hindi, is bent on a suicidal mission aimed at destroying itself. Many of its top leaders have ditched it. Jaswant Singh has been expelled, Yashwant Sinha has distanced himself from it, S. Kulkarni has put in his papers, Arun Shourie has said things about the party President, which he is not likely to forgive. Khanduri was similarly dismissed, Vasundhara Raje is on notice. Who remains? L.K. Advani, whose voice now carries very little weight, Rajnath Singh, who has never been taken seriously, and Sushma Swaraj, who is of little consequence. The sole survivor of the people who matter is Arun Jaitley — a brainy, persuasive upholder of what the party once stood for. But his will be a voice in the wilderness.

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