AB VAJPAYEE
"I would have declined a second chance to form the government"During the campaign for the last general elections, Atal Bihari Vajpayee
had made it amply clear that he would not fight another election. Thirteen months down the
line, he has changed his mind. Last week, in a 90-minute interview with Editor Prabhu Chawla, the prime minister
appeared to relish the prospects of another campaign. The confidence was understandable
considering the slender margin of his government's defeat and the tawdry efforts of the
opposition to cobble together a government that ultimately failed.
 The obvious question
first. When it was clear that the others didn't have the numbers they
claimed, why didn't you stake a claim a second time?
Frankly speaking, we didn't have the numbers. Ganit hamare virudh tha (The
arithmetic was against us). We had 269 votes, the opposition 270.
Did you try to add to your numbers?
We tried our best to carry others with us. But there were few who could be
approached. One thing you must concede is that 19 members left us but we lost by only one
vote. Those who were with us, remained with us during the vote and after the vote. Those
who voted with the Congress parted company later.
So was it the failure of your managers to get just
that extra vote to save your government?
What purpose would it have served? Only a temporary reprieve for a few more months.
You cannot provide good governance in such a situation.
If the President had given you a second chance to
prove your majority, would you have accepted it?
I would have declined the second chance to form the government. As you are aware, I
didn't meet the President even once to stake my claim. But in this case the President
himself came to the conclusion that we didn't have the numbers to provide a stable
government. He advised us to dissolve the House.
Do you feel that the President was not as
accommodating with your government as he has been with your predecessors ?
I had no problems with him during the past 14 months. But he definitely wants to be
an active president. His role during the current crisis made that amply clear.
Does it mean that you will face problems as a
caretaker prime minister?
Why should I? There is no concept of a caretaker government. Ours is a full-fledged
Government. We are not here just for TV cameras and social functions. Even the President
has made it clear in the past that such governments have full powers to deal with official
work.
But what will happen to the CTBT and other
international treaties which are to be signed in the near future? Will you proceed on
these fronts?
We will face some difficulties, I am sure. If there was a Parliament we could have
struck a consensus on these issues. But if elections are delayed, it may be highly
improper to commit ourselves?
But can't you call an all-party meeting and come to
an agreement?
We will try that as well. But I don't have much hopes since we are in the midst of
a do-or-die election.
Did you really expect to lose merely by one vote?
No, we did not think the voting would go this way. I don't think anybody did. The
BSP had declared on the floor of the House that it would abstain. And we don't normally
have chief ministers attending Parliament and voting!
In retrospect, do you think it was a blunder to align
with Jayalalitha and concede her unreasonable demands?
I must tell you that if we had indeed conceded her demands, I doubt if she would
have broken from us.
You could have saved your government by sacrificing
George Fernandes as defence minister. Why didn't you do it?
Sacrificing George Fernandes would have amounted to punishing him for something he
is not guilty of.
Your opponents were able to mobilise themselves to
pull you down. That they failed later is another thing. How come you failed to nail them?
There was a conspiracy against us. They came together to bring my government down
because we started to do well. They were afraid of our growing popularity. They had not
expected a good budget from us. Our initiatives on Pakistan shook them up badly.
Yet, there was total inaction on the Bofors issue?
Why did you dither on granting permission to the CBI to begin prosecution? |
We gave permission for the prosecution of S.K. Bhatnagar before our
government fell. We also wrote to the President requesting him to grant permission for
launching a case against Madhavsinh Solanki.
Where does it rest now?
With Rashtrapatiji.
Will you remind the President once again about
Solanki?
Yes we will do it soon.
Do you think the BJP is geared for the polls when it
has failed to exploit the current situation to its advantage?
The BJP is not a party dependent on a single individual nor is it tied to the apron
strings of a family. It is an organisation of nearly two crore people. Today the situation
is one of advantage BJP. We can only improve on our previous tally. Add to this the
strength of our allies and friendly parties, and you will get a clear picture of our
potential.
There is a belief that Advani's tenure as home
minister has been controversial, that he would have been better as the party president.
I think Advani has done an excellent job as home minister. Earlier, as party
president, he proved himself to be an able organiser. He is an asset both in Government
and the party.
Would you now like him to shift to the party and run
an effective campaign for your victory?
As you know, it has already been announced that he will head the election campaign
committee.
But don't you feel that the party has let you down by
not actively supporting the government and helping you deal with allies?
(Pauses) To some extent the party could have done much more, particularly in
dealing with the allies. The BJP didn't try to learn the lessons of coalition politics.
Is that the reason that the parties are supporting
you and not the BJP?
It is not like that. But I must confess this election is not going to be easy. It
is going to be a dirty election. I hope I will be able to prevent this trend.
Would you now like to enter elections as a morcha or
a front rather than as the BJP?
We are thinking of a national alliance and also of a joint campaigning. These are
details that are yet to be worked out. Ideally, the alliance should contest this election
on a joint platform, on the basis of the National Agenda for Governance.
If you are going to contest on a common manifesto,
will the BJP drop issues like Article 370, Common Civil Code and Ayodhya?
These are not even there on our National Agenda for Governance. And they
will not be included in the manifesto or common minimum programme.
What will your slogan for the coming election be?
There are many. And there is one that everyone is talking about. Even Jyoti Basu
has remarked on it. Earlier I always believed that the videshi vs swadeshi debate would
never take off. But now it is being discussed at every platform. Suggestions have been
made to amend the constitution to debar those not born in India from holding offices of
the president, vice-president, prime minister and even the chief justice of India. But my
fear is such a debate will not be healthy. Bahut soch soch ke bol raha hoon mein
(I am choosing my words very carefully).
Did you enjoy your tenure in office? Or do you think
it was a mistake getting entangled with 20 allies?
The prime minister's office is not something that one enjoys.
Are you still firm on your resolve of not contesting
another election?
(Pauses, then laughs) Now I am being reminded, "You have not completed your
five-year term. If you had, we would have spared you." I have to be a member of the
House for the remaining four years. So here I am, back in the field. |
