Lal Krishna Advani is a renowned and respected figure of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It is impossible to think of the BJP without Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, who both made significant contributions to laying the foundation of the party. Lal Krishna Advani has been an active politician in the BJP since 1951.
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L.K. Advani Family Background:
Lal Krishna Advani was born on November 8, 1927, in a Sindhi family in Karachi. His father was a businessman named Shri Kishanchand Advani, and his mother was Smt. Gyanidevi. The family lived in the Karachi province of India (now in Pakistan), and after the partition of India and Pakistan, they moved to Mumbai, India.
L.K. Advani Education:
Lal Krishna Advani completed his schooling at St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi. He then went on to study at K.D. College, Hyderabad. After moving to India from Pakistan, he completed his law degree from Government Law College, Mumbai.
L.K. Advani Marriage:
In February 1965, Lal Krishna Advani married Kamla Devi. The couple has two children, a son named Jayant Advani and a daughter named Pratibha Advani. Pratibha Advani is a television serial producer and director.
L.K. Advani Political Life
Lal Krishna Advani spent 19 years in the Rajya Sabha before his journey to it was concluded. He became a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1970 and later held various positions as a leader of the Jan Sangh. In 1973, he served as the Chairman of the Kanpur committee. He was vigilant toward his party and its principles. As the chairman, he did not approve of the work of the experienced leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Balraj Madhok, as he was going against the principles of the party, which could harm the party’s reputation. Therefore, he expelled Balraj Madhok from the Bharatiya Jana Sangh for the good of the party.
During the emergency situation under Indira Gandhi’s central government in 1975, many opposition parties joined forces with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh to oppose the emergency situation, and this led to the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Advani continued to advance in politics, becoming a member of the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat from 1976 to 1982. In 1977, he contested the Lok Sabha elections with Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
L.K. Advani’s Controversy
Advani has had an eventful journey in Indian politics, which saw the formation of new political parties, including the Samajwadi Party, Swatantra Party, Lok Dal, and Jan Sangh, coming together to form a new organization in 1977. It is common for leaders to switch parties in politics, and in this vein, Jagjivan Ram of the Indian National Congress also joined the Janata Party, later renaming it the Janata Dal.
Lal Krishna Advani served as the Home Minister in the NDA government. After the BJP emerged as the largest party in the 1996 elections, Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the Prime Minister in May 1996. However, this government lasted only for 13 days. Then, two unstable governments came into power from 1996 to 1998 – first H.D. Deve Gowda and then I.K. Gujral.
After their reigns, the BJP returned to power in the NDA government in 1998, and Vajpayee became the Prime Minister once again in March 1998. However, 13 months later, Jayalalitha withdrew her support from the NDA, resulting in the fall of the government.
However, Vajpayee led this government until the next elections, and Lal Krishna Advani continued to serve as the Home Minister. During this time, Advani progressed in his position, becoming the “Deputy Prime Minister” by the end of the NDA government’s term in 2004.
Despite being a veteran and a visionary leader, Advani faced several allegations in politics. He was accused of accepting bribes from stockbrokers, but the Supreme Court cleared him of all charges due to a lack of evidence.
After the 2004 elections, the BJP suffered a defeat, and Advani resigned from his position as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. However, he continued to serve as a senior member of the BJP until 2019, when he retired from active politics.
Lal Krishna Advani, a prominent Indian politician, served as the President of the opposition party from 2004 to 2009. In 2006, he gave an interview to a news channel where he declared himself a strong contender for the Prime Minister’s post in the 2009 elections. Advani’s seniority and experience in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made him a natural choice for the Prime Minister’s candidacy.
In December 2007, BJP announced Advani as their candidate for the Prime Minister’s post in the upcoming elections, but fate had other plans. In 2009, the Congress government came back to power, and Dr. Manmohan Singh was sworn in as the Prime Minister for the second time.
Advani is known for his extensive political journeys, and he is the only leader who has undertaken six major political journeys in the country. His leadership and successful journeys have greatly helped the BJP in politics, and he is often referred to as the “Leader of the Rath Yatra.” According to Advani, the Rath Yatra is a religious journey that awakens the national religion of the country.
Advani’s Rath Yatra
Lal Krishna Advani is a prominent Indian politician who is known for his contributions to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is widely recognized for his role in leading the “Ram Rath Yatra,” which started at the Somnath Temple in Gujarat on September 25, 1990, and ended in Ayodhya on October 30, 1990. The main objective of this yatra was the construction of a temple dedicated to Lord Ram. While some considered this yatra to be politically motivated, others saw it as a procession driven by patriotism.
The Janadesh Yatra was another significant journey undertaken by Advani in September 1993. It began in Mysore and covered the four corners of India, traversing through 14 states and two Union Territories, culminating in Bhopal on September 25, 1993. The purpose of this yatra was to garner support for two bills related to religious freedom in India.
On the occasion of India’s 50th Independence Day, Advani initiated the Swarna Jayanti Rath Yatra, commemorating India’s fifth year of independence. This journey aimed to spread the message of patriotism and unity throughout the country.
Despite facing opposition from some political leaders who considered it to be divisive, Advani’s rath yatras strengthened the BJP and helped it emerge as a major political force in India.
A Dark Phase in Politics:
In 2009, after losing the elections, Advani stepped aside from active politics and cleared the path for other party leaders. Sushma Swaraj was elected as the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha for the BJP. During the 2014 elections, Advani was unhappy with the BJP’s campaign under Narendra Modi’s leadership and accused the party of deviating from its original values established by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Nanaji Deshmukh, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. On June 11, 2013, he resigned from all his positions in the BJP. However, the party’s senior committee invalidated his resignation and BJP President Rajnath Singh assured him of his importance to the party as a veteran and experienced leader.
Advisory Council:
In 2014, Advani was removed from the BJP parliamentary board and included in the party’s advisory council. The council included many senior leaders of the party, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Murli Manohar Joshi.
Writing:
Advani chronicled his life’s events and political journey in his book “My Country My Life”. This book provides a glimpse into his thoughts and experiences, providing insights into his contributions to Indian politics.