Who is she?
Ms. Sushma Swaraj is the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) leader in the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) and has been the party’s chief firefighter. During the BJP’s last term in office (1999-2004), she was minister for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs.
When the BJP appeared headed to a loss in the 1998 Delhi state election, she left parliament and took over as chief minister to try and turn the tide. After the BJP lost Delhi, she ran against Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the 1999 national election. Upon losing to Ms. Gandhi, Ms. Swaraj rejoined parliament from the upper house, or Rajya Sabha.
India’s Sushma Swaraj meeting former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Source: Wikimedia, U.S. Government Work.
Why is she in the news?
Media reports allege that Ms. Swaraj is among a group of BJP veterans who have been sidelined following Mr. Narendra Modi’s rise. The ruling Congress party has sought to exploit the BJP’s divisions, with Digvijay Singh, the Congress’ general secretary asserting that Ms. Swaraj would make a better Prime Minister than Mr. Modi. The BJP, on the other hand, sought to downplay these divisions, clarifying there is “no problem” and that Ms. Swaraj would continue to campaign for the party.
What can we expect?
Ms. Swaraj may ultimately get a key role in a Modi cabinet. Ms. Swaraj could prove to be a key bridge for U.S.-India relations. Her earlier cabinet positions brought her to the United States often, and she has continued engaging with U.S. officials visiting India – including President Obama – due to her key role in the opposition.
