00:00The latest opposition leader to join the ranks of the BJP is a Shiv Sena MLA who was once
00:08close to Uddhav Thackeray. It's not surprising since he too was facing a money laundering
00:13probe by the Enforcement Directorate or the ED. That's a pattern we've seen in the last
00:17decade with the BJP. Opposition leaders who are facing pressure from the ED or the CBI
00:22suddenly jump ship to the BJP and all is forgotten. There are so many big examples of this, whether
00:28it is Ajit Pawar in Maharashtra or Ashok Chavan in Maharashtra as well, leaders from the TMC
00:34who have switched sides, others from the Congress who have switched sides. It is now a recurring
00:39pattern that doesn't even surprise anyone anymore. The issue though is that when it
00:44comes to attacking the Opposition India Alliance, the BJP has made the two issues of corruption
00:48and dynasty its main plagues. But on both these issues, it's more than willing to embrace
00:54Politicians from the opposition camp, even if they belong to political families, even
00:58if they're facing serious corruption charges, as long as they're willing to leave the opposition
01:03camp and come to the BJP. How long will the BJP sustain this policy is the question. Because
01:08there have already been murmurs of discomfort in the party in different states where opposition
01:13leaders have suddenly been taken into the fold and also rewarded them with seats or
01:18tickets or ministries or ministerial berths, etc. Right now, that dissent may not be as
01:25much out in the open, but it is building. And the question is whether it's something
01:28that would also sustain with voters over a period of time, because it could bring short
01:33term gains to the BJP, which is seeking to dismantle the opposition. But what does it
01:37do for the BJP's politics in the long run?
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