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जुगलबंदी : भाजपा मोदी युग से पहले
Narendra Modi has been a hundred years in the making. Vinay Sitapati's Jugalbandi provides this backstory to his current dominance in Indian politics. It begins with the creation of Hindu nationalism as a response to British-induced elections in the 1920s, moves on to the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980, and ends with its first national government, from 1998 to 2004. And it follows this journey through the entangled lives of its founding jugalbandi: Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani.
Over their six-decade-long relationship, Vajpayee and Advani worked as a team despite differences in personality and beliefs. What kept them together was fraternal love and professional synergy, of course, but also, above all, an ideology that stressed on unity. Their partnership explains what the BJP before Modi was, and why it won.
In supporting roles are a cast of characters-from the warden's wife who made room for Vajpayee in her family to the billionaire grandson of Pakistan's founder who happened to be a major early funder of the BJP. Based on private papers, party documents, newspapers and over two hundred interviews, this is a must-read for those interested in the ideology that now rules India.
Over their six-decade-long relationship, Vajpayee and Advani worked as a team despite differences in personality and beliefs. What kept them together was fraternal love and professional synergy, of course, but also, above all, an ideology that stressed on unity. Their partnership explains what the BJP before Modi was, and why it won.
In supporting roles are a cast of characters-from the warden's wife who made room for Vajpayee in her family to the billionaire grandson of Pakistan's founder who happened to be a major early funder of the BJP. Based on private papers, party documents, newspapers and over two hundred interviews, this is a must-read for those interested in the ideology that now rules India.
368 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2020
125 people are currently reading
2083 people want to read
About the author
Vinay Sitapati
2 books70 followersVinay Sitapati teaches at Ashoka University and writes for The Indian Express. He has studied at National Law School Bangalore and Harvard University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
July 25, 2023
The book is, as expected, a page turner which is difficult to put down once you pick it up. The author makes enough attempts to not, in any manner, glorify the bigoted ideology which is at the centre of the book. At the same time, he toes a fine line by not consistently berating it and thus allowing himself to delve into the nuances. But while the book did very well at keeping me engaged while explaining the 'BJP before Modi' narrative, the argument about teamwork being the secret of their success seemed a little flimsy to me. Any evidence to the contrary is often relegated as unimportant by not being considered central to the narrative or sometimes not being mentioned at all. The same could be said for the narrative around Vajpayee. While the author clearly states multiple times that the liberal and inclusive mask was perhaps not a true image of Vajpayee's personal views, he again relegates evidence of the slipping of that mask to an exception or, as in the case of the speech before Nellie massacre, does not mention it at all. Although, overall, it would be an extreme overreach to say any representation was deliberately unfair. These few points of criticism aside, the book is a fantastic achievement of uniting different pieces of the rise of hindutva into a common theme and deserves a sober and serious reading.
March 15, 2021
Most of the Indians, especially men, love to talk and debate on politics. But seldom have accurate knowledge on the subject. This book tries to fill such knowledge gap on a specific subject.
The book details about BJP as a political party, before Narendra Modi came to power. It quotes many facts and references throughout the book and makes the narration unbiased. Overall an interesting account of Vajapayee and Advani political carrier and their working together - a jugalbandhi. Since my childhood and youth always filled with the news about these two politicians, many details were nostalgic.
The book details about BJP as a political party, before Narendra Modi came to power. It quotes many facts and references throughout the book and makes the narration unbiased. Overall an interesting account of Vajapayee and Advani political carrier and their working together - a jugalbandhi. Since my childhood and youth always filled with the news about these two politicians, many details were nostalgic.
January 30, 2022
3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
Good read but contains some factual errors about colonial political figures like Gandhi and Savarkar. It's brilliant if one wants to understand the anguish of the post-colonial times.
Good read but contains some factual errors about colonial political figures like Gandhi and Savarkar. It's brilliant if one wants to understand the anguish of the post-colonial times.
June 1, 2021
It is a well researched and well written book. But couldn't agree with some of the interpretations. In Amit Varma's podcast, Vinay Sitapati said that, "after reading this book, your respect for Vajpayee would decrease ever so lightly. And your respect for Advani will increase a little". The reason is supposed to be that we understand that both Vajpayee's secularism and Advani's hardliner stance are masks. In reality, Vajpayee and Advani was playing good cop and bad cop for the sake of politics. That was obvious to even a casual reader of the history of the last three decades.
Another reason that Sitapati cites is that Advani wasn't really a communal person just that the ground reality was favouring a hardliner stance and Advani just followed the mob's cues. Again, this particular reading of the events completely overlook RSS and VHP's influence that sets the stage for Advani's yathra (Not to mention Rajiv Gandhi's overtures and communal appeasements - but then he was also a politician like Advani). So the real Jugalbandi is not Vajpayee-Advani but the RSS-BJP. AS some political philosopher says, "Politics is the downstream of Culture". And RSS and Sangh Parivar just doesn't set up the cultural engineering that eventually helps BJP, they also overtly influence BJP to make sure their ideological goals are achieved. That is probably the dimension missing from this book. May be it is too much to ask for from a book which is supposed to cover only the political history of a party and mostly its two main protagonists.
There are some other interesting notions in the book. The first is the so called Nehruvian consensus - the idea that some lines cannot be crossed. Interference of government in communal matters is one of them. Today, it might seem that BJP never thought twice about crossing this line. One could even say that the first to cross it in post-independent India was actually Rajiv Gandhi and Congress. But Vajpayee seemed to stick to it religiously. Even Advani for that matter. It is only the RSS and VHP which are strongly voicing hindu concerns like Ayodhya before Rajiv Gandhi took an interest in it. If we accept this argument that Nehruvian consensus was the Laxman Rekha that Vajpayee wouldn't cross, it says enormously about the influence of Nehru on the politics of 4 decades right after the independence. It also makes you wonder if that is what we lack today: A strong leader who can go against the tide and create an environment where even fierce critics accept the separation of government and religion. And Nehru didn't do it in a vacuum. The communal feelings were strong post-partition. Of course, the Hindu right helped the cause by killing Gandhi and taking it "too far" and thereby making communal politics unacceptable.
The second is: Modi. The predominant liberal reading is that Modi orchestrated the Gujarat Riots. But Sitapati chronicles the events to showcase that he was more of a fumbling leader who had no administrative experience and was afraid to do anything against the extremist elements within the Sangh parivar. Once he realized that his ineptitude was actually seen by the Hindu majority as favouring Hindus, he remodelled himself as something the RSS-VHP always wanted: A strong leader defending Hindus against Muslims.
In both Gujarat 2002 and Ayodhya, Advani (as Sitapati would put it) took the cue from the masses and supported something that he shouldn't have. One can argue that he was just being a politician. In hindsight, one can only wonder how things would have been different if Advani listened to his own instincts rather than what he claimed as the majority's consensus.
Another reason that Sitapati cites is that Advani wasn't really a communal person just that the ground reality was favouring a hardliner stance and Advani just followed the mob's cues. Again, this particular reading of the events completely overlook RSS and VHP's influence that sets the stage for Advani's yathra (Not to mention Rajiv Gandhi's overtures and communal appeasements - but then he was also a politician like Advani). So the real Jugalbandi is not Vajpayee-Advani but the RSS-BJP. AS some political philosopher says, "Politics is the downstream of Culture". And RSS and Sangh Parivar just doesn't set up the cultural engineering that eventually helps BJP, they also overtly influence BJP to make sure their ideological goals are achieved. That is probably the dimension missing from this book. May be it is too much to ask for from a book which is supposed to cover only the political history of a party and mostly its two main protagonists.
There are some other interesting notions in the book. The first is the so called Nehruvian consensus - the idea that some lines cannot be crossed. Interference of government in communal matters is one of them. Today, it might seem that BJP never thought twice about crossing this line. One could even say that the first to cross it in post-independent India was actually Rajiv Gandhi and Congress. But Vajpayee seemed to stick to it religiously. Even Advani for that matter. It is only the RSS and VHP which are strongly voicing hindu concerns like Ayodhya before Rajiv Gandhi took an interest in it. If we accept this argument that Nehruvian consensus was the Laxman Rekha that Vajpayee wouldn't cross, it says enormously about the influence of Nehru on the politics of 4 decades right after the independence. It also makes you wonder if that is what we lack today: A strong leader who can go against the tide and create an environment where even fierce critics accept the separation of government and religion. And Nehru didn't do it in a vacuum. The communal feelings were strong post-partition. Of course, the Hindu right helped the cause by killing Gandhi and taking it "too far" and thereby making communal politics unacceptable.
The second is: Modi. The predominant liberal reading is that Modi orchestrated the Gujarat Riots. But Sitapati chronicles the events to showcase that he was more of a fumbling leader who had no administrative experience and was afraid to do anything against the extremist elements within the Sangh parivar. Once he realized that his ineptitude was actually seen by the Hindu majority as favouring Hindus, he remodelled himself as something the RSS-VHP always wanted: A strong leader defending Hindus against Muslims.
In both Gujarat 2002 and Ayodhya, Advani (as Sitapati would put it) took the cue from the masses and supported something that he shouldn't have. One can argue that he was just being a politician. In hindsight, one can only wonder how things would have been different if Advani listened to his own instincts rather than what he claimed as the majority's consensus.
December 31, 2020
Extensive research and bibliography make this book attractive. This book covers origin of BJP upto Modi era with highlighting relation between two stalwarts Advani and Vajpayee, analysis of failure of BJP from 2004, internal collision with Subramanium Swami, RSS and VHP.
Though the book points out failure of Hindu Nationalist movement is inherent with weakness of Hindus and their cultural disunity, however, more than thousand years Gurjara Pratihara, Chandella, Rashtrakuta kingdoms protected Bharat from muslim invasion.
Author provides many controversial conversation from private unpublished diary or personal conversation.
Those who are interested about history of BJP, it can be an interesting reading.
Though the book points out failure of Hindu Nationalist movement is inherent with weakness of Hindus and their cultural disunity, however, more than thousand years Gurjara Pratihara, Chandella, Rashtrakuta kingdoms protected Bharat from muslim invasion.
Author provides many controversial conversation from private unpublished diary or personal conversation.
Those who are interested about history of BJP, it can be an interesting reading.
March 23, 2022
Took a few days to form thoughts about the book. Overall, thought it was not as revelatory as Half-Lion. Some parts were interesting to learn e.g., the story of the founding of the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha, the competing interests and conflicts of the constellation of actors in the Sangh Parivar, opportunistic championing and disavowal of making a Hindu India based on the political climate in different eras. That said, Vinay Sitapati is probably the only attempting even-handed biographies of modern Indian politics, and I'm grateful he's working (sometimes amuses me that I've read biographies of unelected American bureaucrats but almost none of actual Indian politicians).
Think my biggest issue with the book was when it attempted to create a clean narrative around pivotal events like the Babri Masjid demolition and the Godhra riots -- his arguments on the actors' culpability (or lack thereof) felt too loose and unconvincing. And as a consequence, anyone who comes to this book already believing the BJP as an institution was either culpable or not culpable will leave exactly as they entered. Which, if my acquaintances' reactions are anything to go by, is exactly what is happening.
I think the scholarly contribution part at the end was helpful to read. And posed questions worth grappling with -- can one call the BJP fascist when it gains legitimacy from free and fair elections and parliamentary democracy?
In any case, think it'll be a few decades before an insightful biography of any of the characters in recent political history...there's a reason Robert Caro takes so long with his biographies!
Think my biggest issue with the book was when it attempted to create a clean narrative around pivotal events like the Babri Masjid demolition and the Godhra riots -- his arguments on the actors' culpability (or lack thereof) felt too loose and unconvincing. And as a consequence, anyone who comes to this book already believing the BJP as an institution was either culpable or not culpable will leave exactly as they entered. Which, if my acquaintances' reactions are anything to go by, is exactly what is happening.
I think the scholarly contribution part at the end was helpful to read. And posed questions worth grappling with -- can one call the BJP fascist when it gains legitimacy from free and fair elections and parliamentary democracy?
In any case, think it'll be a few decades before an insightful biography of any of the characters in recent political history...there's a reason Robert Caro takes so long with his biographies!
February 23, 2021
Extremely well-written and engaging. However - it feels like journalism passing off as history or political analysis. There are a number of instances where the author hasn't given complete information or made assumptions without evidence just to fit into his larger narrative.
For example, in Chapter 1 and 2 - Sitapati is making the argument that the Congress pandered to Muslims by offering them separate electorates (and in essence leading them to be over-represented). The opening paragraph of Chapter 2 ("The Ghosts of Partition") states that in the 1945 elections "Forty-eight seats were for 'Non-Mohammadan' voters and candidates and thirty for 'Mohammadans.' This makes it sound like 30/78 seats were reserved for Muslims - that's 40%! Much more than their share of the population - which was ~25%. I studied South Asian colonial history and that didn't sound right to me, so I looked it up. Sitapati neglects to mention that there were 30 other seats and the total # of seats was 102! So it was 30/102, which is 29% and much closer to the share of Muslims in India's population.
I've annotated a bunch of other such instances where there's incomplete information which nearly amounts to misrepresentation. I usually don't feel motivated to write reviews - but I also don't appreciate sloppy scholarship. Read the book - but don't take anything you read at face value. Fact check, fact check, fact check.
For example, in Chapter 1 and 2 - Sitapati is making the argument that the Congress pandered to Muslims by offering them separate electorates (and in essence leading them to be over-represented). The opening paragraph of Chapter 2 ("The Ghosts of Partition") states that in the 1945 elections "Forty-eight seats were for 'Non-Mohammadan' voters and candidates and thirty for 'Mohammadans.' This makes it sound like 30/78 seats were reserved for Muslims - that's 40%! Much more than their share of the population - which was ~25%. I studied South Asian colonial history and that didn't sound right to me, so I looked it up. Sitapati neglects to mention that there were 30 other seats and the total # of seats was 102! So it was 30/102, which is 29% and much closer to the share of Muslims in India's population.
I've annotated a bunch of other such instances where there's incomplete information which nearly amounts to misrepresentation. I usually don't feel motivated to write reviews - but I also don't appreciate sloppy scholarship. Read the book - but don't take anything you read at face value. Fact check, fact check, fact check.
August 1, 2021
(Retrospective review)
BJP is the ruling party of India (for over 7 years now). Regardless of political affiliations, anyone would benefit greatly from understanding the party's history, the key events and people in them.
Although ostensibly a history of the BJP, this book is really a history of 20th century Indian politics. Sitapati spares no one - he shows how politicians of every party played communal and caste politics whenever it suited them. Ultimately, a poor, orthodox, prawn eating Gwalior Brahmin and a Sindhi Macaulayputra Brahmin built an election juggernaut that doesn't seem to stop anytime soon! (you judge the consequences). All while being initially funded by the grandchild of the pork eating Muslim (Jinnah), the founder of the land of the pure (Pakistan). The world of politics is strange!
The book also sheds light on how the Hindu right is fragmented: a (formerly) politically coy RSS, militant VHP and a host of other familial groups with often divergent viewpoints.
All in all, this book covers a lot of ground and excels at it. A worthy successor to Half Lion. It is highly recommended.
BJP is the ruling party of India (for over 7 years now). Regardless of political affiliations, anyone would benefit greatly from understanding the party's history, the key events and people in them.
Although ostensibly a history of the BJP, this book is really a history of 20th century Indian politics. Sitapati spares no one - he shows how politicians of every party played communal and caste politics whenever it suited them. Ultimately, a poor, orthodox, prawn eating Gwalior Brahmin and a Sindhi Macaulayputra Brahmin built an election juggernaut that doesn't seem to stop anytime soon! (you judge the consequences). All while being initially funded by the grandchild of the pork eating Muslim (Jinnah), the founder of the land of the pure (Pakistan). The world of politics is strange!
The book also sheds light on how the Hindu right is fragmented: a (formerly) politically coy RSS, militant VHP and a host of other familial groups with often divergent viewpoints.
All in all, this book covers a lot of ground and excels at it. A worthy successor to Half Lion. It is highly recommended.
August 26, 2021
The book is good with propaganda . The plethora of prejudices that are held against BJP and definitely against EX CM and Current PM Modi are seen everywhere in the book. The description of Gujarat Riots is totally supporting one way narrative made prevalent by the leftist cable over decades. Though the author himself has written a book on an Ex PM to negate his role in babri masjid demolition and his role as a HM during the 1984 riots. But in case of other PM he is ready to sell the half baked story. Vajpayee ji initial devotion towards the RSS is totally ignored instead he is just shown as an opportunist. The book portrays ADVANJI AND VAJPAYEE JI as near to saint figures from whose shadow a monster like MODI and SHAH have come-out.
Some facts and stories mentioned are definitely a first time read to me. Like the plagiarism of integral humanism, ouster of some members of RSS , how vajpayeeji was pranked to run his Gwalior elections etc.
Some facts and stories mentioned are definitely a first time read to me. Like the plagiarism of integral humanism, ouster of some members of RSS , how vajpayeeji was pranked to run his Gwalior elections etc.
March 20, 2021
This books is so much more than just a collection of on-record facts, while technically being nothing more than a collection of previously on-record facts. For someone who follows politics of the day and a marginal understanding of the political history of independent India, there is no new knowledge that the book adds (in contrast to the author's book on PV Narasimha Rao, where he had access to unpublished personal notes of Rao). Yet, the dispassionate coming together of these facts ironically builds the most comprehensive narrative I have come across around the history of the world's largest political movement.
April 9, 2021
An excellent book on recent history. It perfectly summarises the rise of BJP, the rise of Modi and the rise of hindu nationalism.
April 28, 2025
A masterpiece by Vinay Sitapati. Will share a full review soon.
May 3, 2021
After writing a brilliant biography of PV Narasimha Rao, Vinay Sitapati delivers yet another excellent book on a relatively less explored subject. Modern Indian history has not done much justice to the phenomenal role played by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani in shaping the country and any contribution in this direction is welcome and the author makes an earnest attempt to tell the story of the BJP or more specifically, the story of how Vajpayee and Advani went about starting a party back in 1980 which won only 2 seats in the first Lok Sabha elections and went about giving this country the first-ever full-term non-Congress government at the centre.
Unlike other authors in the past who have outrightly dismissed Hindu nationalism and the Sangh Parivar, Sitapati tries to present an objective picture, and although his biases do come into play at some points in the book, I think that is all but natural. No writer can be completely objective. If anyone claims that, then he/she is lying. The author acknowledges the strong emphasis RSS and its affiliates lay on teamwork. That is a theme that is present throughout the book. The author compares the Jugalbandi of yesterday which forms the subject of his book with today's Jugalbandi of BJP, which is of course Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
What is important is that the author clearly points out that the BJP does not blindly follow the RSS when it comes to governance and there are enough anecdotes in the book in this regard. There were numerous political parties that came up against the Indian National Congress at different periods of time. However, it is only the BJP that has been able to become successful and maintain that status as the primary competitor to the Congress from so long. Others like the Janata Party, Congress (O), Janata Dal, etc have faded away.
The reason BJP did not fade away like others was because of the focus on teamwork which has been one of the tenets that the party has followed since the beginning and this was put in place by its founders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani. They were different individuals, they had different views on many topics, they had many differences on many topics, but when it comes to working towards the greater cause, they worked as one and that made all the difference in the world as the author has rightly mentioned.
Unlike other authors in the past who have outrightly dismissed Hindu nationalism and the Sangh Parivar, Sitapati tries to present an objective picture, and although his biases do come into play at some points in the book, I think that is all but natural. No writer can be completely objective. If anyone claims that, then he/she is lying. The author acknowledges the strong emphasis RSS and its affiliates lay on teamwork. That is a theme that is present throughout the book. The author compares the Jugalbandi of yesterday which forms the subject of his book with today's Jugalbandi of BJP, which is of course Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
What is important is that the author clearly points out that the BJP does not blindly follow the RSS when it comes to governance and there are enough anecdotes in the book in this regard. There were numerous political parties that came up against the Indian National Congress at different periods of time. However, it is only the BJP that has been able to become successful and maintain that status as the primary competitor to the Congress from so long. Others like the Janata Party, Congress (O), Janata Dal, etc have faded away.
The reason BJP did not fade away like others was because of the focus on teamwork which has been one of the tenets that the party has followed since the beginning and this was put in place by its founders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani. They were different individuals, they had different views on many topics, they had many differences on many topics, but when it comes to working towards the greater cause, they worked as one and that made all the difference in the world as the author has rightly mentioned.
December 18, 2020
A thoroughly researched book. Vinay offers a very dispassionate view of how BJP came into being along with its two tallest leaders - ABV and LKA.
I will term this book as BJP 101. A great intro to the election behemoth we witness today.
I will term this book as BJP 101. A great intro to the election behemoth we witness today.
June 6, 2021
"Two there should be; no more, no less. One to embody power, the other to crave it"
-Darth Bane
Comparing Vajpayee-Advani or Modi-Shah to Siths would be a less than perfect analogy. Deeming Congress to be the Jedi and RaGa as the inevitable Luke Skywalker would border on blaspehmy. You can't blame me for the fact that Star Wars makes more sense to me than politics ever will.
However, the book provides a much needed perspective into the politics of the century gone by and is an absolute page turner. How the lotus grew out from the mud of Hindutva and eventually conquered the political landscape is a tale told masterfully by Sitapati. It's heartwarming to read about how the ideology of organisational unity kept the BJP intact while people burned, structures fell and wars were waged.
The Jugalbandi between Advani and Vajpayee extended well beyond the political and Sitapati does a brilliant job of humanising the two. They are far from perfect, just like the aformentioned analogy and this hastily written review.
-Darth Bane
Comparing Vajpayee-Advani or Modi-Shah to Siths would be a less than perfect analogy. Deeming Congress to be the Jedi and RaGa as the inevitable Luke Skywalker would border on blaspehmy. You can't blame me for the fact that Star Wars makes more sense to me than politics ever will.
However, the book provides a much needed perspective into the politics of the century gone by and is an absolute page turner. How the lotus grew out from the mud of Hindutva and eventually conquered the political landscape is a tale told masterfully by Sitapati. It's heartwarming to read about how the ideology of organisational unity kept the BJP intact while people burned, structures fell and wars were waged.
The Jugalbandi between Advani and Vajpayee extended well beyond the political and Sitapati does a brilliant job of humanising the two. They are far from perfect, just like the aformentioned analogy and this hastily written review.
December 26, 2021
3.5/5 The RSS+BJP are fashionably demonised in India for seeking homogeneity. The Left/liberals like to think that they want to Abrahamise Hinduism and finish off its diversity. Well, they do not.
According to the author, their core idea is not homogeneity but unity. So, wrt Hindusim, RSS works to eradicate caste differences and its activities focus on bringing the various diverse groups in Hinduism together. And politically, the same idea motivates BJP. And if ugly communal politics with othering does it, so be it for them.
The author has narrated the history of BJP, and shown how it has stayed united despite a no. of stalwarts and situations in 4 decades. And like his earlier book on PM Rao, he has done so without being opinionated.
According to the author, their core idea is not homogeneity but unity. So, wrt Hindusim, RSS works to eradicate caste differences and its activities focus on bringing the various diverse groups in Hinduism together. And politically, the same idea motivates BJP. And if ugly communal politics with othering does it, so be it for them.
The author has narrated the history of BJP, and shown how it has stayed united despite a no. of stalwarts and situations in 4 decades. And like his earlier book on PM Rao, he has done so without being opinionated.
April 3, 2021
Vinay Sitapati's sophomore work on the Advani-Vajpayee duo is a delightful mix of anecdotage, research and engaging story-telling without judgement. He unearths nuggets of information which cannot be found elsewhere : How the crowd started to cheer Vajpayee's name when Advani was about to announce BJP's prime ministerial candidate in 1995. The book's best parts relate to the 2002 National Executive wherein Modi captured the imagination of the cadre despite Vajpayee's reservations. As evident in his book on Narasimha Rao as well, Vinay's strength lies in his ability to focus on engaging trivia without losing focus on the larger picture. Followers of Hindu Nationalism should first listen to the music of "Jugalbandi" before diving into scholarly prose.
Read
December 9, 2020 A very well researched book written in an extremely engaging style. The author does a great job of contextualizing individuals by situating them in their larger political ,social and historical milieu. This results in a much more complete and interesting picture and a better understanding of the individuals themselves. There are bigger forces that shape individuals beyond their personal motivations and abilities. It is always good to be reminded of that - particularly in the context of the personality cult that is plaguing India today and has in the past. The author does a fabulous job of stringing together an engaging and coherent narrative spread across pre independence and contemporary times. A must read if you are interested in contemporary history/Indian politics.
The author also manages stay unbiased. There are no judgements. I am no fan of Hindu nationalism myself .And what I really liked about the book is it neither criticizes nor praises. It is not heavy on academic interpretations of Hindu Nationalism as a political philosophy , but whenever it does venture into the area it is quite dispassionate in it's assessment.
And I found something very telling about the current state of affairs. What the author calls the key difference between Vajpayee and Modi. Vajpayee's enduring commitment to institutional democracy ,a willingness to ensure continuity of policy and a willingness to consult experts.
On the other hand , what we see today are commitment to electoral politics and a far lesser commitment to institutional ideals.
Perhaps this is what ails us today.
The author also manages stay unbiased. There are no judgements. I am no fan of Hindu nationalism myself .And what I really liked about the book is it neither criticizes nor praises. It is not heavy on academic interpretations of Hindu Nationalism as a political philosophy , but whenever it does venture into the area it is quite dispassionate in it's assessment.
And I found something very telling about the current state of affairs. What the author calls the key difference between Vajpayee and Modi. Vajpayee's enduring commitment to institutional democracy ,a willingness to ensure continuity of policy and a willingness to consult experts.
On the other hand , what we see today are commitment to electoral politics and a far lesser commitment to institutional ideals.
Perhaps this is what ails us today.
September 18, 2021
This book is a nicely chronicled history about the rise of Hindu Nationalism and the story of formation of RSS and India's ruling BJP- through the lens of its 2 most important architects who don the cover.
The book probably has a saffronised cover and the name Modi on the cover to increase its popularity, but it has very less to do with Modi- except a couple of chapters at the end.
The relationship of vajpayee and advani, while analyzed well - in my opinion is very repetitive as there are only as many themes to this relationship which keeps getting repeated. The book could have been given a different title. Contrary to how it may feel, the author presents a rather balanced and unbiased view of tbe history and has a writing style that makes it almost a page turner. If you're interested in reading about India's modern political history, go for it.
The book probably has a saffronised cover and the name Modi on the cover to increase its popularity, but it has very less to do with Modi- except a couple of chapters at the end.
The relationship of vajpayee and advani, while analyzed well - in my opinion is very repetitive as there are only as many themes to this relationship which keeps getting repeated. The book could have been given a different title. Contrary to how it may feel, the author presents a rather balanced and unbiased view of tbe history and has a writing style that makes it almost a page turner. If you're interested in reading about India's modern political history, go for it.
January 6, 2021
Breezy read for Indian political history enthusiasts. Essentially a love story between Vajpayee and Advani. Nope, they aren't Modi and Shah.
Advani seems to have the author's sympathy. There will never be a "but..." for the damage he personally caused Indian society. That's a) another book and b) my opinion, so will save the rant.
Major claims I found myself agreeing with - a) Hindu nationalism's secret sauce is 'unity' , b) The BJP and Congress are not dissimilar - both great at starting fires they can't control.
Also, the author says "inchoate" a lot.
Advani seems to have the author's sympathy. There will never be a "but..." for the damage he personally caused Indian society. That's a) another book and b) my opinion, so will save the rant.
Major claims I found myself agreeing with - a) Hindu nationalism's secret sauce is 'unity' , b) The BJP and Congress are not dissimilar - both great at starting fires they can't control.
Also, the author says "inchoate" a lot.
July 11, 2024
I don't know why. All I could feel was there could be a brilliant single season show based on this book. The history it depicts is interesting, has revealing insights, colorful characters and a riveting plot.
The book is a simple read, pretty enjoyable. I finished it earlier than I expected to. For a generation that has not deeply witnessed the era of Vajapayee and Advani, this book can be a brilliant introduction. It also is the story of BJP, and its earlier incarnations, along with the background covering the ideology that's broadly categorized as Hindu Nationalism. For anyone who is politically aware, many things don't seem new, but the book delves deeper into the personality of the duo and how they were was significantly different from how they appeared. The book also smartly lays the foundation story of what led to the rise of Narendra Modi and his own capable political partner Amit Shah. For anyone interested in the recent political history of India, this book is a treat.
The book is a simple read, pretty enjoyable. I finished it earlier than I expected to. For a generation that has not deeply witnessed the era of Vajapayee and Advani, this book can be a brilliant introduction. It also is the story of BJP, and its earlier incarnations, along with the background covering the ideology that's broadly categorized as Hindu Nationalism. For anyone who is politically aware, many things don't seem new, but the book delves deeper into the personality of the duo and how they were was significantly different from how they appeared. The book also smartly lays the foundation story of what led to the rise of Narendra Modi and his own capable political partner Amit Shah. For anyone interested in the recent political history of India, this book is a treat.
February 13, 2021
Well researched, taut and unbiased, Jugalbandi is a gem of a political biography. The book describes the rise of Hindu Nationalism and BJP using the personal journeys of two of it's most iconic leaders - Atal Bihari Bajpayee and LK Advani, who were ironically poles apart in their own personalities and upbringing but somehow managed to act the glue that held the party together.
What I specially loved about the book was it's analysis on the history, ideology and prevailing circumstances which drove Hindu Nationalism and the actions of specific individuals. When seen from an impartial lense it reveals that ultimately there is a grey area that all politics must contend with and a true statesman, as both Vajpayee and Advani were, must navigate these across party and ideology.
The book is a beautiful study on the relationship, personal and professional, between these two leaders and the evolution from prominence to obscurity. It is also a study in contrast of the BJP then and now.
What I specially loved about the book was it's analysis on the history, ideology and prevailing circumstances which drove Hindu Nationalism and the actions of specific individuals. When seen from an impartial lense it reveals that ultimately there is a grey area that all politics must contend with and a true statesman, as both Vajpayee and Advani were, must navigate these across party and ideology.
The book is a beautiful study on the relationship, personal and professional, between these two leaders and the evolution from prominence to obscurity. It is also a study in contrast of the BJP then and now.
December 22, 2020
This is an expectable book from the author of PV Narasimha Rao's biography; both works being efforts of soft revisionism of contemporary history. In more personal ground, the book was much awaited for an opportunity to critique a work by their lecturer by my comrades in college.
The book, I must say was a pleasurable read for me. It was a fine addition to my read list. The author calls it a Hundred Year History of the BJP. A more humble description would be that it is a prosopography of the BJP high cadre; prosopography being a biography of a collective. The collective here is that of Hindu Nationalists - those that occupy the centre stage LK Advani and Vajpayee but earlier ones like SP Mookerjee, Pandit Upadhyay down to Shah-Modi duo and several colourful characters like Balraj Madhok, Nanaji Deshmukh and Subrahmanian Swamy.
Vinay Sitapati's great addition to the field is in building a narrative up to BJP's foundation in 1980, not after it. He tells a history of the Sangh Parivar (for the first time ever I read of the exact relationships in the Parivar; how did Hindu Mahasabha connect to RSS and how it, to VHP and Jana Sangh). But he tells it with the few in the limelight. He tells a history through the biography. In this specific phase that I talk about he is very convincing. One does read about the texture of the ideology of Hindutva and its variants - a much needed intervention, I believe in the context of today when, as I liberal, I find myself in want of a focussed dissent. One reads of the question of caste and how Hindutva tackles it. It's position on economic affairs. Where we were always right was history. Without its concocted historiography, Hindutva would be redundant.
What he is obviously good at, is biography. He challenges the trope of the hardline Advani and liberal Vajpayee. Instead we find a humourless and sincere Advani and renegade Vajpayee. A rule-abiding Advani and an unmarried but non celibate Vajpayee.
His attention to biography is also what fails Sitapati. He falls short in keeping up his balancing act of telling the story of the Sangh Parivar through the few. Sitapati's prowess and marshalling over a hundred interviews forces him to get lost in words. What we need for the study of the BJP is a good sociologist, something Sitapati is not. A sociology of its cadre, its voters, and its adversaries. His journalism goes as far as making the subject more accessible to the reader but not owning it enough to make judgements... Without perhaps even intending to he becomes less critical of personalities, ideologies, and intentions.
The book, I must say was a pleasurable read for me. It was a fine addition to my read list. The author calls it a Hundred Year History of the BJP. A more humble description would be that it is a prosopography of the BJP high cadre; prosopography being a biography of a collective. The collective here is that of Hindu Nationalists - those that occupy the centre stage LK Advani and Vajpayee but earlier ones like SP Mookerjee, Pandit Upadhyay down to Shah-Modi duo and several colourful characters like Balraj Madhok, Nanaji Deshmukh and Subrahmanian Swamy.
Vinay Sitapati's great addition to the field is in building a narrative up to BJP's foundation in 1980, not after it. He tells a history of the Sangh Parivar (for the first time ever I read of the exact relationships in the Parivar; how did Hindu Mahasabha connect to RSS and how it, to VHP and Jana Sangh). But he tells it with the few in the limelight. He tells a history through the biography. In this specific phase that I talk about he is very convincing. One does read about the texture of the ideology of Hindutva and its variants - a much needed intervention, I believe in the context of today when, as I liberal, I find myself in want of a focussed dissent. One reads of the question of caste and how Hindutva tackles it. It's position on economic affairs. Where we were always right was history. Without its concocted historiography, Hindutva would be redundant.
What he is obviously good at, is biography. He challenges the trope of the hardline Advani and liberal Vajpayee. Instead we find a humourless and sincere Advani and renegade Vajpayee. A rule-abiding Advani and an unmarried but non celibate Vajpayee.
His attention to biography is also what fails Sitapati. He falls short in keeping up his balancing act of telling the story of the Sangh Parivar through the few. Sitapati's prowess and marshalling over a hundred interviews forces him to get lost in words. What we need for the study of the BJP is a good sociologist, something Sitapati is not. A sociology of its cadre, its voters, and its adversaries. His journalism goes as far as making the subject more accessible to the reader but not owning it enough to make judgements... Without perhaps even intending to he becomes less critical of personalities, ideologies, and intentions.
February 10, 2021
A amazing read. Written like a story, keeps you hinged. It refreshed in my mind the history of Indian politics specifically the bjp and the rise of hindutva. Understanding the basic logic behind this politics helps in understanding a lot of the decisions that are being made today. Moreover the piece is very well researched and provides argument, counter arguments and references for every conclusion that it makes.
January 26, 2021
I had read the author’s earlier book - A half lion, a few years ago . So I went with the expectation of it being well researched and nuanced . It more than lived up to that- well written, racy read
If you thought this book would be about just the 2 protagonists, you’re in for a surprise . The book traces the birth and rise of Hindu nationalism and in a lot of ways comments on politics and society in India through the lives of Advani and Vajpayee , while doing a deep dive on the politics of Mandir, Mandal and the Markets of the 90s. It also seeks to answer the big question for today - why does the BJP win?
The contrasting personal lives of meat eating, whiskey drinking and promiscuous Vajpayee and the vegetarian, committed Advani make for interesting reading .
The book’s one omission - the controversial speech of Vajpayee at Nellie left me feeling that the author had let his fanboy side take over and that spilt over to the podcast where the host also didn’t question him on that . That was disappointing .
At one point I couldn’t help get the feeling that there was some “normalising”of evil going on and if someone does the same for Modi-Shah vis-a-vis Adityanath it would be terribly tragic !
The book is def worth a read . If you’re not inclined , do listen to this podcast ! You won’t regret it
If you thought this book would be about just the 2 protagonists, you’re in for a surprise . The book traces the birth and rise of Hindu nationalism and in a lot of ways comments on politics and society in India through the lives of Advani and Vajpayee , while doing a deep dive on the politics of Mandir, Mandal and the Markets of the 90s. It also seeks to answer the big question for today - why does the BJP win?
The contrasting personal lives of meat eating, whiskey drinking and promiscuous Vajpayee and the vegetarian, committed Advani make for interesting reading .
The book’s one omission - the controversial speech of Vajpayee at Nellie left me feeling that the author had let his fanboy side take over and that spilt over to the podcast where the host also didn’t question him on that . That was disappointing .
At one point I couldn’t help get the feeling that there was some “normalising”of evil going on and if someone does the same for Modi-Shah vis-a-vis Adityanath it would be terribly tragic !
The book is def worth a read . If you’re not inclined , do listen to this podcast ! You won’t regret it
May 12, 2021
Jugalbandi speaks about the relationship between Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani. On the pretext of their relationship, it tells the story of India at a time when the sparks of Hindu nationalism were growing.
One of the highlights of their relationship is that we know that both of them knew how to adjust very easily with each other. On many occasions L.K. Advani could have sidelined Atal Bihari Vajpayee and for the post of the Prime Minister but he cleared the way for Vajpayee.
This shows that despite having very different views on many subjects, there was a warmth relationship between the two which is very difficult to see among the leaders today except Modi and Shah duo.
We also get to know about Rajkumari Kaul and Kamala Advani who took over the family of Vajpayee's and Advani's so that these two dignitaries get a chance to work in politics without any concern. What I find most important about Vajpayee is that on many occasions he preferred dialogue rather than using force. Example: Post Kargil Vajpayee travelled to Islamabad in 2004 for the SAARC Summit to improve relations between both India and Pakistan.
You may find less controversies on Kashmir when he was the Prime Minister of India. The reason being was Vajpayee's believe in "Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a man who is no less than God by a person belong to neither any religion nor any caste. This is a good book for those who wanted to know about the history of the Bhartiya Janta Party and how these two grand old men made it to the Raisina Hills.
One of the highlights of their relationship is that we know that both of them knew how to adjust very easily with each other. On many occasions L.K. Advani could have sidelined Atal Bihari Vajpayee and for the post of the Prime Minister but he cleared the way for Vajpayee.
This shows that despite having very different views on many subjects, there was a warmth relationship between the two which is very difficult to see among the leaders today except Modi and Shah duo.
We also get to know about Rajkumari Kaul and Kamala Advani who took over the family of Vajpayee's and Advani's so that these two dignitaries get a chance to work in politics without any concern. What I find most important about Vajpayee is that on many occasions he preferred dialogue rather than using force. Example: Post Kargil Vajpayee travelled to Islamabad in 2004 for the SAARC Summit to improve relations between both India and Pakistan.
You may find less controversies on Kashmir when he was the Prime Minister of India. The reason being was Vajpayee's believe in "Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a man who is no less than God by a person belong to neither any religion nor any caste. This is a good book for those who wanted to know about the history of the Bhartiya Janta Party and how these two grand old men made it to the Raisina Hills.
July 22, 2024
I cannot recommend it enough for anyone with the slightest of interest in Indian politics.
Right off the bat to have a book written on contemporary politics that is not drowning in propaganda/ opinions is rare. To have it written in an engaging manner is the icing on the cake!
What is perhaps most revealing to me is the character of ex-Deputy PM, Lal Krishna Advani Ji. Perhaps a misfit in Indian politics but exactly what Indian politics needed- a man that is fair, that never put self above party and never put his ideology up for sale. This juxtaposed by the pragmatism of ex-PM Vajpayee Ji showcases exactly why they worked so well together.
While the BJP today looks very different than that under Vajpayee-Advani’s Jugalbandi, the book does a brilliant exposition of how we got here without having any coloured opinions on the same. As a story of modern India, as a study of politics and as a book on what a multi decade friendship/ partnership looks like- this is a wonderful read!
Right off the bat to have a book written on contemporary politics that is not drowning in propaganda/ opinions is rare. To have it written in an engaging manner is the icing on the cake!
What is perhaps most revealing to me is the character of ex-Deputy PM, Lal Krishna Advani Ji. Perhaps a misfit in Indian politics but exactly what Indian politics needed- a man that is fair, that never put self above party and never put his ideology up for sale. This juxtaposed by the pragmatism of ex-PM Vajpayee Ji showcases exactly why they worked so well together.
While the BJP today looks very different than that under Vajpayee-Advani’s Jugalbandi, the book does a brilliant exposition of how we got here without having any coloured opinions on the same. As a story of modern India, as a study of politics and as a book on what a multi decade friendship/ partnership looks like- this is a wonderful read!
April 27, 2021
A detailed account of the ups and downs in the journey of one of the most powerful political pairs in 20th century Indian politics and how they interacted, shaped and were shaped by the changing political winds and the idea of Hindu nationalism. The book also gives a lot of food for afterthought, about what makes (and has made) BJP a strong force, and how the movements around Hindu nationalism are shaped.
Tha author doesn't take any sides (at least explicitly) and this was especially interesting in terms of his his take on how the BJP has changed and how it has not.
Tha author doesn't take any sides (at least explicitly) and this was especially interesting in terms of his his take on how the BJP has changed and how it has not.
September 19, 2021
This book opened up a new way of thinking towards the way the politics have manifested itself in today's India. The masks it protects, the ideologies it relays forward and the direction it wants to take India forward.
I see the stalwarts - Vajpayee and Advani & Modi and Shah very differently.
Ofcourse, one should never rely on one source to form strong opinions about anybody but this book definitely gives you some answers at least to questions I had for many years.
I believe that this book should be read by Indian youth irrespective of their ideologies. Their affinity towards any political party is irrelevant here.
This book is a good read.
I see the stalwarts - Vajpayee and Advani & Modi and Shah very differently.
Ofcourse, one should never rely on one source to form strong opinions about anybody but this book definitely gives you some answers at least to questions I had for many years.
I believe that this book should be read by Indian youth irrespective of their ideologies. Their affinity towards any political party is irrelevant here.
This book is a good read.
March 7, 2022
Read both of Sitapati's books- both page turners.
This one offers a fascinating insight into one of the defining political partnerships of the 20th century. The book is honest about the protagonists, their insecurities and flaws and about the organization they serve. It is also an important work for the layperson to understand the workings of an enigmatic organization which has created this election winning juggernaut.
This one offers a fascinating insight into one of the defining political partnerships of the 20th century. The book is honest about the protagonists, their insecurities and flaws and about the organization they serve. It is also an important work for the layperson to understand the workings of an enigmatic organization which has created this election winning juggernaut.
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