I agree that some floundering will follow. But I think this floundering at least has some purpose and is as a result of some thinking of larger policy goals unlike last term when it was clearly without direction or purpose. The nuclear bill is a good example of mitigated floundering with a reasonably clear goal of ensuring that the bill passes, nuclear energy being something the BJP itself is in favour of. As opposed to the nuclear deal in the last session. More on the vision to follow in a few days.

Take the party president’s response to the Vedanta matter in Orissa and Rahul Gandhi’s subsequent visit to the state, which surely is remarkable only for its complete irrelevance. The denial of mining permission presented an opportunity to the BJP to take a stand – on development v. rights of indigenous groups, on the growing clout of lobby groups, on confusion within the UPA on its development policy; not to mention the more pragmatic opportunity to win back Patnaik and his BJD as an ally.

Gadkari’s gem of a comment in response to the entire episode was that Rahul Gandhi lacked charisma!

I think we will see lot’s more floundering from the BJP before any coherent policy takes shape. That said, I agree with your vision for the path that an effective opposition to the current administration needs to follow, I find it hard to believe at present that the BJP will be able to fill these shoes.