Vajpayee calls for another Lakshman

NEW DELHI: It was a coming together of unlikely political forces in the Capital. Lok Sabha Speaker Somanth Chaterjee, CPI leader AB Bardhan and a host of leaders from the Indian political spectrum shared the same dais on Wednesday evening with RSS deputy chief Mohan Bhagwat. It was to pay homage to the late Pramod Mahajan.

BJP's "Lauh Purush" LK Advani broke down in public. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in his characteristic style gave a clear signal that Pramod's death had only opened the slot for Lakshman or number two in the party and it was not going to be easy to fill that slot.

"I did not make him Lakshman. He acquired that position by his own qualities," he said. Congress president Sonia Gandhi could not make it to the meeting. But her message was read by former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot. Congress ministers PK Bansal and Anand Sharma were also present.
Somnath Chaterjee said he was angry with Vajpayee when he shifted Pramod from parliamentary affairs ministry. He termed Pramod as a man of courage and a born fighter.