For those to the Right of Indian politics happy at the sight of fading saffron, there is good news. In fact, there is `hugely' good news: the new-cast Pariwar has a Nehru in its wings. After Maneka Gandhi's half-entry, it's the first Nehru-Gandhi to cross over from the Centre. It's also a victory for the great saffron dilution, the National Democratic Alliance.For a corporate executive, who had been in the business of colours and dilution (he was CEO at Jenson & Nicholson), Arun Nehru, cousin of Rajiv Gandhi, could always try a new hue. He is contesting the general elections this time with a BJP ticket from Rae Bareli.

Nehru joined politics directly at the top at a time when political naivete was selling at a premium in the mid-80's. It was no uncertain plunge as he stood to lose nothing. There were only gains: A decisive say in Rajiv Gandhi's kitchen cabinet, a special ministerial berth to handle internal security, and, more importantly, a Nehru's realhomecoming.

When he fell out with his cousin, Nehru the professional joined the rival V P Singh camp bent on undoing Gandhi. It was like running one's finger through a grid of colour boxes. The finger has now landed on saffron, or the NDA shade of it.

What does BJP gain? It gets a clansman to further its efforts to smudge dividing lines on the basis of what it calls outdated ideologies. It also gets a man who can be an able administrator. And thirdly, but not lastly, it gets a pre-poll psychological advantage over the Congress.

As for Nehru himself, it is a smart comeback for now. There are many more colours yet to touch upon.

-- Bhawesh K Mishra