LK Advani

LK Advani Biography

•Full name-  Lal Krishna Adavani
•Born- 8th November, 1927 in Karachi British India (Pakistan)
•Political Party- Bharitya Janata Party (BJP)
•Other political affiliations- Bharitya Jangh Sangh (1977)
•Spouse- Kamala Adavani
•Residence- (permanent)- 1835/16, Kasturbhai Block, Din Dayal Bhawan,J.P. Chowk, Khanpur, Ahmedabad - 380 001
•Residence- (present)- 30, Prithviraj Road, New Delhi - 110 011

“A lifetime of Service” that is the best way to describe his political career. A true veteran with five decades of political experience and this Octogenarian is a notable face of India politics. Though he might not be part of main stream politics and his principles and expertise cannot be neglected. Though in the recent past there have been a slew of controversies and issues that have dented his political image. However this grand Patriarch of Indian Politics and his inspiration is an indelible part of the system.

LK Advani Early Life- L.K. Advani was born to Kishanchand D. Advani and Gyani Devi in Karachi, Sindh, then a part of undivided India. He completed his education from Saint Patrick's High School, and Dayaram Gidumal National College in Pakistan and then went on to graduate from Government Law College in Bombay. He completed his Master's in Sociology from Mumbai University.

LK Advani Political Career- LK Advani started his career as a teacher in Model School in Karachi.  He started off as the Secretary of the Rashtritya Swayam Sevaks (RSS) and then was appointed a member of the Bharitya Jangh Sangh. After serving in various posts in the party and he was finally elected as the president of the party. In course of time, Jana Sangh joined with other political parties to become Janata Party. The unpopularity of Emergency rule paved way for Janata Party to come to power and with that Advani became the Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

He was known particularly for the statement that he made on the emergency “the media crawled instead of bending during the emergency.”However the inner fighting in the party and the electoral defeat led to the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and he became one of the most prominent members in the party. He slowly rose within the ranks of the party and was elected as Party President in 1986.  His tenure as party president he was instrumental in infusing new life into the party and it’s functioning and induced an aggressive form of Hindutava policies that shapped the party and also propelled its mandate to a large extent.

The benefits of the same were reaped in the first ever assembly following his takeover as the party President.  He was also instrumental in getting the party its first manadate at the national level. However infighting and corruption charges rocked the party and it could not hold on to power in its first stinct at the center.  In the midst of change in political mandates and the arise of a possible third alternative at the center BJP stormed back to power in 1998 under the coalition of the national Democratic alliance.  Lal Krishna Advani was handed the post of Deputy Prime Minister with Atal Bihari Vajypee as Prime minister. However in the 2004 general election the BJP experienced an unexpected defeat. 

As party President he gave up his tenure in 2006 and the party was intent on finding new face as the Party’s President. The Party’s agenda was to build the party on the lines of the second generation leaders. However the veteran continued to be involved in politics and in 2006 in an interview to a news channel said he saw himself as the next prime ministerial Candidate. Some of his colleagues supported his decision whole heartedly.

However in 2009 the UPA and the allies regained power at the centre and Advani paved the way for Sushma Swaraj as the Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha.  His political aspiration of being the Prime Minister was quashed in the 2009 General Assembly Polls.  However despite of all this contribution to the growth and benefit of the party has been phenomenal. He has dedicated almost 40 years of his career to the selfless service of the nations. However there have been incidents that have dented his image.

LK Advani Personal Life- He has maintained a low profile as far as his personal life is concerned. Maintaining that balancing public and private life is difficult and as such it is difficult.  He has two children Pratibha and Jayant. He has foundness for films and can be called avid and committed lover of cinema.  He strongly believes and contuse to family is the mainstay of stability, strength and this has enabled him to weather the numerous and storms in his political career.

LK Advani Controversies- LK Advani has been no stranger as far as controversy is concerned.  In the 1990’s he was accused of inciting violence by means of his words with the Ram Janmabhoomi issue. Advani is still considered as one of the co accused in the Babri Masjid Demolition case of 1992. During the Narshimrao regime he along with the BJP was accused of controversies and scandals. Advani was also accused in the Hawala Scandal. He was said to have received Hawala money however the Supreme Court released him and other on insufficiency of additional evidence to support the case. 

In June of 2005 he drew much criticism for his that Jinnah was a Secular leader during his visit to the Jinnah Mausoleum.  He was forced to tender his resignation but withdrew it later. In 2012 he again made a comment against the Congress stating that the party had paid members to influence votes.  He had to reiterate his statement that he was referring to the trust vote; However thi did not go well with the Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

LK Advani Rath Yatra- The politician has been known for a series of Rath Yatra
•His first Yatra was from Somnath in Gujarat.  The Yatra started on 25th September, 1990 and culminated on the 30th October. The dispute surrounding this Yatra was the Mandir Masjid controversy. However the Yatra focused on secularism and communalism debate. The Yatra was stopped by leader Mulayam Singh.
•Janadesh Yatra  that started on the 11th of September of 1993 travelling through 13 states and 2 union territories. The purpose of Janadesh Yatrawas to seek the people's mandate against the two Bills, the Constitution 80th Amendment Bill and the Representation of People (Amendment) Bill.
•Swarnajayanthi Rath Yatra this Yatra was held between May and July 1997 and the purpose was to celebrate the 50 year of Indian Independence.
•Bharat Uday Yatra, this Yatra was a follow up to the 2004 general elections.
•Bharat Suraksha Yatra- The BJP launched a nationwide mass political campaign in the form of the Bharat Suraksha Yatra from April 6 to May 10, 2006. It consisted of two yatras – one led by L.K. Advani, Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha), from Dwaraka in Gujarat to Delhi; and the other led by Rajnath Singh, then the President of the BJP, from Jagannadh’s Puri in Orissa to Delhi
•Jan Chetna Yatra was launched on 11 October 2011 from Sitab Diara, Bihar. The purpose of Jan Chetna Yatra is to channelise public opinion against corruption of the UPA government.

L K Advani Quotes-
•On Narendra Modi-The country came to know about qualities of Narendra Modi after he became the chief minister of Gujarat. But I am one of those who has observed his working for years and have been familiar with his dedication towards his task.”
•Comment on Reservation-“"He (Sardar Patel) had said that you give reservation to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but never reserve posts for minorities. We also say the same thing, but this government (the United Progressive Alliance) is set to appease minorities for vote bank politics."
•On the phone tapping issue-“ What is really required in this context is to set up a Parliamentary committee on the lines of the Birkett committee in Britain to examine all aspects of the problem, scrap the outdated Indian Telephone Act of 1885 and replace it by a new legislation which forbids invasion of an ordinary citizens’ privacy...”
•Recalling an Incident in his life-“ This reminds me of an interesting encounter I had 25 years back. In 1985, one morning a stranger arrived at my house carrying a brief case full of papers. This brief case, he told me, contained ‘dynamite’ which could blow up this Government. He opened his brief case and out poured some 200 sheets of closely typed records of telephonic conversations of many VIPS.”
•On those anticipating his retirement-“ If they think that I will quit politics, then it is all wrong. I think that I became a rath yatri at 14 years, when I was just out of high school and became a Swayamsevak. This rath yatra would go on for life.
•On the future of the country- No astrologer is needed to predict the direction in which it (India) is set to move.
•Advice for those wishing to join politics-“Anyone who comes to politics must have a motivation, which goes far beyond any personnel agenda. It has to be idealistic.”
•On the internet- “the Internet is the most democratic of all the communication platforms invented.”
•On the difference between  NDA and UPA-“On the one hand, there is the NDA which is going strong for the past 11 years. On the other, the UPA, which started with a bang, has completely disintegrated.”


LK Advani Books- L.K Advani's 'My country my life. This book is a memoir of the veteran leader Lal Krishna Advani.  This book also includes the unknown stories in the life of the leader.

LK Advani Blog- In a bid to woo the younger generation he started his blog with his own website in 2009. He has been articulate and at the same time active on his blog speaking about various issues and various contemporary issues. On his blog  he stated that internet to be the most democratic and horizontal forms of communication and that cannot be neglected.

LK Advani Assets and Net worth- In  an affidavit filed in the lead up to the 2009 general elections he stated that his overall assets amounted to Rs 3.5 crores. In an affidavit filed declared his assets to be as follows-
•He has two flats in Gurgaon are worth Rs 92.5 Lakhs while his house In Gandhi Nagar is estimated at Rs 50 lakhs.
•He had deposits worth Rs 67.66 Lakhs and his wife  has deposits worth Rs 36.55
•He also stated that he jointly owns 10% of the Rs 16 lakh worth jewellery.
•He had no liabilities.

LK Advani Latest news-
Advani praises UPA NGREA at UN
 For the first time the former leader of the opposition praised the government for its NGREA at the United Nations Meet. He stated that UPA flagship program has played a critical role in empowering rural people and empowering overall growth of the economy.

LK Advani Career snippet :
•1977-1979:  Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting.
•1986:  Party President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
•1980-1986: General Secretary of the BJP.
•1986:  party President of the BJP.
•1988: re-elected party president of the BJP and held the position of Home minister in the BJP Government.
•1990: Ram Rath Yatha from Somnath to Ayodhya.
•1997: Swarna Jayanti Rath Yathra to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of India's Independence.
•1999-2004: Held the position of Deputy Prime Minister.
•2004-2009: Was Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha