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| Edited By: |Source: DNA |Updated: Nov 19, 2013, 11:17 PM IST
BJP PM candidate LK Advani has much at stake in election 2009. At 81, this could perhaps be his last shot at the coveted post and he does not want to let the opportunity slip. In an exclusive interview to Zee News, the ‘Loh Purush’ spoke of, among other things, the shift in the BJP’s strategy from the 2004 election — how the party was this time concentrating more on the development of ‘Bharat’ (read rural India) as opposed to ‘India’ the last time. Here’s what he said…
On the 2004 loss
One of the reasons we lost the (2004) election was overconfidence and the other, distancing of ideological affiliates. The leadership failed to convince sympathisers that the Vajpayee government formed in 1998 was an NDA government, not just a BJP government. We failed to convince that being a coalition set-up, the NDA government had to take decisions based on consensus and as such, it could not take decisions its ideological sympathisers wanted it to.
“Hum apne vaicharik samarthakon ko samjha nahin paye ki sarkar jo bani thee 1998 mein, woh BJP ki nahin NDA ki sarkar thee, aur NDA ki sarkar kyunki gatbandhan ki sankar thee swabhavik roop se wah unhin kaamon ko kar sakti thee jin par sab log sahmat the.”
On the Varun issue
Those who are targeting Varun will have to pay. Slapping the National Security Act (NSA) on Varun Gandhi is a work of perverse mentality and people of India do not easily forgive such acts. The Congress accusation that I wrote the script of the Varun episode is an act of desperation and surrender. This action of the UP government reminds me of Emergency.
“Mujhe Emergency ka smaran aata hai jab deshbhakton ko, Jayaprakash Narayan ko, Morarji bhai ko, Vajpayee ko Misa ke tehat giraftar kiya gaya, ki yeh rashtra ki suraksha ke liye sankat hain. Unko (those who have slapped NSA on Varun) is baat ko bhoolna nahin chahiye ki Emergency ke baad jo chunav hua unmein jo jail mein the shan se jeete.”
On Ayodhya Ram temple
Nothing can do more good to Hindu-Muslim unity if both communities have a mutual understanding for construction of the Ayodhya temple. This will not only realise the hopes of millions of people, but also pave the way for peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Muslims.
“Hum chahenge ki Ayodhya mein Ram mandir bane.”
On PM calling him communal
I was shocked when he said that. When he said my only contribution to the nation was the demolition of Babri Masjid. When I have criticised him, I have simply said I regard him as a weak PM because he has denigrated and devalued the high office of prime minister. I have never gone beyond that.
“Uski (Manmohan Singh’s) majburi hai woh kya kare.”
On coalition ethics
The Congress never reconciled to coalition, while the NDA has always been faithful to its partners. We made politics bipolar through the successful NDA experiment.
On the possibility of Congress, BJP joining hands
I don’t see that happening in the near future, but no political party is untouchable.
“England mein (Winston) Churchill aur Attlee ek dusre ke dushman the, lekin yudh (World War II) hua, aur donon saath huye, ek hi sarkar mein gaye. Kisi political party ko untouchable nahin maanta, yahaan tak ki Bihar ki samvid sarkar mein Jansangh aur Communist donon sath the.”
On his public image
I’m not bothered about it. I say and do whatever I sincerely believe is right, as I did when I visited Pakistan and said what I said about Jinnah.
