Hindutva Politics In India

The book is a comprehensive treatment of the Bharatiya JanataParty as the major architect of the Hindutva politics and ideology since itsfounding year in 1980. The book follows BJP through its social and geographical expansion, politicalconsolidation and electoral victories within the broad parameters of Hindutva,ranging from the latter's crescendo state of its 'soft' version. The volume alsoexplores the political and social constraints and the ideological limits of theBJP's Hindutva politics. The author examines the BJP's existential dichotomybetween identity and power and the consequent 'ideological self-betrayal'represented by 'backburner' politics (1998-2004). The book analyses the BJP'sinspirational, organizational and ideological relationship with the RSS and theresulting perpetual 'identify crisis' of the party. Assessing the BJP'sdemoralising debacle in the election-2004, this book offers a democraticcritique of the Hindutva politics and considerably contributes to ourunderstanding of the evolution of the BJP which is still struggling withself-definition.