Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NEWDELHI2873
2006-04-27 11:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
BJP GENERAL SECRETARY PRAMOD MAHAJAN UNLIKELY TO
how-toVZCZCXRO6560 OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHNE #2873 1171148 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 271148Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3064 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1674 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 4932 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 4963 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 7924 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 5623 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 8052 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3159 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 3418 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 3307 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 3559 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 2478 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 2580 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 3134 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0394 RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2651 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHMFISS/HQ USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 002873
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR IN
SUBJECT: BJP GENERAL SECRETARY PRAMOD MAHAJAN UNLIKELY TO
RETURN TO POLITICS
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for reasons 1.4 (B,D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 002873
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR IN
SUBJECT: BJP GENERAL SECRETARY PRAMOD MAHAJAN UNLIKELY TO
RETURN TO POLITICS
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for reasons 1.4 (B,D)
1. (C) Shot three times by his brother on April 23, BJP
General Secretary Pramod Mahajan remained in "critical/but
stable" condition on April 27. It is still not clear whether
Mahajan will survive his shooting. Even if he does, it is
highly unlikely that he will make a complete recovery and he
may never return to active politics. In the most optimistic
of scenarios, his extensive injuries would keep him out of
the political scene for at least the rest of the year,
dealing another major blow to the BJP's hopes of revival.
The bullets caused serious damage to his internal organs and
Mahajan remains on life support in a Mumbai hospital.
Although his doctors state that his recovery is "slow but
stable," his condition has not stabilized enough to allow
them to remove the three bullets.
2. (U) A member of India's upper house (Rajya Sabha) since
1986, Mahajan has been a member of the BJP's inner circle
since becoming a political advisor to Atal Bihari Vajpayee in
1996. Mahajan has been a member of the Hindu Nationalist RSS
since his youth and although moderate in his economic views,
has been a strong supporter of the BJP's Hindutva agenda. In
addition to his personal influence on Vajapayee and AK
Advani, Mahajan has been a principal fund-raiser for the
party and enjoys close connections with India's principal
business houses. He is also well-known for his organizing
skills and was President of the party's youth wing from
1986-88.
3. (C) Mahajan's shooting was a purely family affair and had
nothing to do with politics, but could not have come at a
worse time for the BJP. The party continues its steady
decline, with most observers predicting that it will fare
poorly in this year's state elections. His departure from
the scene will leave a crucial gap in the BJP's electoral
campaigns which no other upcoming leader can fill, and could
compound BJP losses in what was already a bad year for the
party. Should it become necessary for the BJP to find a new
General Secretary, that race would exacerbate the already
contentious infighting between ambitious BJP notables
contending for leadership positions.
4. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
BLAKE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR IN
SUBJECT: BJP GENERAL SECRETARY PRAMOD MAHAJAN UNLIKELY TO
RETURN TO POLITICS
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for reasons 1.4 (B,D)
1. (C) Shot three times by his brother on April 23, BJP
General Secretary Pramod Mahajan remained in "critical/but
stable" condition on April 27. It is still not clear whether
Mahajan will survive his shooting. Even if he does, it is
highly unlikely that he will make a complete recovery and he
may never return to active politics. In the most optimistic
of scenarios, his extensive injuries would keep him out of
the political scene for at least the rest of the year,
dealing another major blow to the BJP's hopes of revival.
The bullets caused serious damage to his internal organs and
Mahajan remains on life support in a Mumbai hospital.
Although his doctors state that his recovery is "slow but
stable," his condition has not stabilized enough to allow
them to remove the three bullets.
2. (U) A member of India's upper house (Rajya Sabha) since
1986, Mahajan has been a member of the BJP's inner circle
since becoming a political advisor to Atal Bihari Vajpayee in
1996. Mahajan has been a member of the Hindu Nationalist RSS
since his youth and although moderate in his economic views,
has been a strong supporter of the BJP's Hindutva agenda. In
addition to his personal influence on Vajapayee and AK
Advani, Mahajan has been a principal fund-raiser for the
party and enjoys close connections with India's principal
business houses. He is also well-known for his organizing
skills and was President of the party's youth wing from
1986-88.
3. (C) Mahajan's shooting was a purely family affair and had
nothing to do with politics, but could not have come at a
worse time for the BJP. The party continues its steady
decline, with most observers predicting that it will fare
poorly in this year's state elections. His departure from
the scene will leave a crucial gap in the BJP's electoral
campaigns which no other upcoming leader can fill, and could
compound BJP losses in what was already a bad year for the
party. Should it become necessary for the BJP to find a new
General Secretary, that race would exacerbate the already
contentious infighting between ambitious BJP notables
contending for leadership positions.
4. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
BLAKE