THEY DID not even have the courtesy to acknowledge their role in the parties’ defeat. As they have been dictating political strategies of the two parties since the last two years with a hope to have their own governments at the Centre, it is clear that they failed to respond to the ground realities in their respective parties and also in the country.

Advani has been making many attempts since the last four years to realise his life-long ambition of becoming Prime Minister of the country by leading the BJP-led NDA into victory in this election. Likewise, Karat was also sure to bring CPM-inspired Third Front government at the Centre, by mobilising support from all non-Congress and non-BJP parties. He was also prepared to secure Congress support.

But both of them failed miserably. A few days before the counting, Advani indicated that he would consider retiring from politics if he failed to bring victory for his party. But after the results, he conveniently forgot what he had said. He only indicated that he would not remain leader of the Opposition. However, after two days of hectic drama at his home, he was finally `persuaded’ by his party leaders to remain the leader. This has proved that Advani is a slave of his coterie.

In the same way, Speaker Somnath Chatterji openly said that Prakash Karat should be held responsible for the defeat of the party in West Bengal and Kerala and demanded that he should be replaced.

Even West Bengal Chief Minister Buddadeb Bhattacharya was unhappy with Karat’s style of functioning. Many senior leaders in the party are of the view that with Karat’s decision to withdraw support to Manmohan Singh government in October last year, began the downfall of the party. When West Bengal Chief Minister was prepared to step down, he was prevented by Karat, fearing that he would have to quit too.