Today Amit Shah, the national president addressed BJP karyakartas in Mumbai. Shah recalled Atal Behari Vajpayee’s speech from the same city from where the party was launched. He recalled the leading figures of erstwhile Jan Sangh and his predecessors in BJP while speaking on the ‘Sthapana Divas‘ or foundation day of the BJP. While taking an offensive tone against the opposition, the BJP president announced that the party was ready to fight elections based on the performance of Modi government.

On Twitter, the party projected itself as a movement for the cause of nationalism and not a party which was out to capture power. It accused the Congress of dropping Gandhivad and adopting Nehruvaad. The video recalled the yeomen contribution of Shyama Prasad Mookerji in fighting the proposed permit system in Jammu and Kashmir. His suspicious death in the state of Jammu and Kashmir still remains a mystery.

BJP recalled its opposition to Kutch and Berubari agreements with Pakistan and its role in liberating Goa. BJP also recalled the role of Jan Sangh (the predecessor of BJP) members in the fight against Emergency. Ram Rath Yathra and Ekta Yatra were also recalled by BJP in its video.

One of the prophecies of the first president of the Bharatiya Janata Party has found resonance with partymen on its foundation day. While speaking in Mumbai in 1980, Atal Behari Vajpayee had assured his colleagues with the words ‘ Andhera Chatega, Sooraj Niklega, Kamal Khilega‘ (The darkness will go, the sun will come out and the lotus will bloom).

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In his speech, Vajpayee had reiterated his party’s support to farmers of the country and his commitment to the constitution. He had raised concerns about the economy, attacks on Dalits and assault on democracy by Congress during his time. He had called his partymen to unite labourers, students, women, farmers and youth in the fight to restore moral values and democracy in India. Most importantly, he had underlined the importance of conducting politics at the grassroots level and restoring the faith of people in a democracy.

He had declared that his party would draw inspiration from Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Mahatma Phule. In the end, he uttered the memorable words ‘Andhera Chatega, Sooraj Niklega, Kamal Khilega‘

Today, the party may have partially fulfilled AB Vajpayee’s prophesy. However, it has the task of fighting important assembly elections this year and the Lok Sabha polls in the coming year. The memory of Vajpayee’s prophesy might serve as an inspiration to the party in the coming days.