CAFE
COM:PORT
CHAT JOCKEYS
EVENTS

The Election Day Results Chat

Rediff team @ Congress HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:5)

The mood in the party circles here is that power has slipped out of its hands. Therefore, yesterday's optimism among the Congress leaders is slowly but surely turning into pessimism.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president(Wed Mar 4 1998 3:6)

Sai: The choice of ministers is a privilege of the prime minister.

K R Malkani, vice-president BJP (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:9)

It is true that the BJP has failed in some BJP-ruled states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. However, the BJP has done very well in the BJP-ruled states of Punjab, Delhi and UP. Obviously, people in Rajasthan and Maharashtra were not particularly happy with the performance of the two governments. However in the case of Maharashtra there was another major factor and this was the alliance of the RPI, the party of Dalits and Mulayam Singh's Samajwadi Party, which is basically a party of Muslims in Maharshtra. The Congress had alliance with these two groupings and that tilted the balance against the BJP.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president(Wed Mar 4 1998 3:11)

Ven: The TDP leader has described the Congress as his enemy number one. It is therefore clear that he will have an understanding or alliance with the BJP.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:12)

Mr Malkani: It is interesting that the three states where the Congress did well, according to you, were all ruled by the Opposition. Is there a message there somewhere?

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:12)

Sai: You are quite misinformed. UP had a very special problem and it had to be given very special treatment. There is no such problem in Delhi. There are no Naresh Agarwals in Delhi. Before long we will have a clean and competent government in Delhi.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:13)

Bassriram: There is a distinct possibility of the Congress splitting after some time. Privately very many Congressmen agree with the BJP policies and ideologies.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president(Wed Mar 4 1998 3:15)

Jairam: We will have many more allies than JJ and Mamata. We value their co-operation. I don't think that either Jayalalitha or Mamata are eccentric. They are pretty seasoned politicians with a strong sense of realism.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:16)

Sanjeev: As I have said before the choice of ministers is the prerogative of the prime minister. All that I can say is that whatever task is assigned to me I will do it to the best of my ability.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president(Wed Mar 4 1998 3:18)

VEn: Mr Vajpayee will certainly do the country proud. He is not only a great speaker, he is a thinker, organiser, administrator, a very senior and seasoned statesman and on top of that he has the temperament of the poet and he has a great sense of humour.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:18)

Mr Malkani: When will your party stake its claim to form the government? And, considering that it will rely on others for support, how long will the modus vivendi last?

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president(Wed Mar 4 1998 3:19)

Yes, there is an incumbancy factor. In most cases the party in power in a given state didn't do too well in the election.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:20)

Divya: Naresh Agarwal is certainly in our government in UP. However, there is nothing unclean about the man.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:20)

sasmdr (Wed Mar 4 1998 1:46 PDT) malkani> you say you will have a clean government...ask any businessman/industrialist in maharashtra and rajasthan and his comments are likely to be ...no difference between cong and bjp....as a citizen of maharashtra I can say that the bjp wants to do it in quick time ...

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president(Wed Mar 4 1998 3:22)

Sanjeev: The President of India, Mr Narayanan, is an outstanding man. He has only added to the high regard in which the office of the President is held in India. I salute him for his ability, integrity and independence.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president(Wed Mar 4 1998 3:24)

Sasmdr: Basically the tone for the governance of India is laid by the Government of India. The state governments play a pretty subordinate role in the scheme of things in India. I have no doubt that with the BJP government at the Centre committed to a clean and competent administration things will begin to look up in every sphere all over the country.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:24)

Two seats in 1984, 89 in 89, to the near-miss in 1998. So how come the man singularly responsible for this growth, L K Advani, is not the party's prime ministerial candidate?

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:26)

Sai: "WE don't have to stake our claim. We are already way ahead in the race and as soon as we have 20 or more new MPs supporting us we will have an absolute majority and the President will invite us to form the government and we will accept the invitation.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president(Wed Mar 4 1998 3:27)

Pillai: YOur question includes the answer. The very fact that the TDP says that it will not support the Congress is clear that they will be with us. Mr Naidu has actually described the Congress as the TDP's enemy no.1!

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president(Wed Mar 4 1998 3:29)

Divya: yes. I am confident that the BJP will be able to give the country a clean and competent governemnt for a full term of five years. Actually our manifesto outlines a plan to take the country forward in the next ten years.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:33)

Sai: The BJP and before that the BJS have been growing over the years. Even in 1984, when we got two seats we had the second highest popular support. If we had a proportional system of representation we would have had 30 to 40 MPs even in 1984. We in the BJP are fortunate in having leaders of the ability and eminience of Vajpayee, Advani, Joshi, Rajmata, Sikhandar Bakht, S S Bhandari and several others. They have all contributed to the growth and might of the BJP. Advani is already a member of Parliament. As I said before the choice of Cabinet lies with the prime minister-apparent Shri Vajpayee. I think Mr Advani would very much be a member of the Vajpayee government.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:35)

Jairam: No I don't think that the Maharashtra assembly should be dissolved. Parliamentary elections, state assembly elections and local elections are fought on different issues. Assemblies should be allowed to complerte their full term and not disturbed just because the parliamentary elections or the panchayat elections favour a different party.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:37)

Divya: During the campaign there were quite a few false reports planted in the press by some of our adversaries. Somebody allegedly calling Vajpayee a mask has been denied. Vajpayee is by far an all round senior-most leader of the BJP.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:38)

Mr Malkani: Not dismissing state governments is fine, but to convince people that you mean business surely you need to fix responsibility and be seen to be taking action? What action will you take in Maharashtra? Will Munde be dismissed?

Rediff@cyber cafe (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:39)

Hi, logging in from the Cyber cafe in Delhi. Mr J N Dixit will be coming on line any minute.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:40)

Mr Malkani: The Srikrishna Commission report is certain to indict the Shiv Sena-BJP in the Mumbai riots. But considering that the federal government by then will be that of the BJP,while the state government in Maharashtra already is, can any follow-up be expected from the publication of the report, or will it be consigned to the dustbin of history?

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:43)

Sai: We should not assume that the Srikrishna Commission report would indict the Shiv-Sena BJP. Let us not forget that after the sixth of December maximum violence took place in Maharshtra and Gujarat, both of which were being ruled by the Congress. There is no question of suppressing the report. I must, however, say that over the years the Congress suppressed many reports. The Jabalpur riots report was suppressed. The report on the 1962 war with China was also suppressed. The Niyogi commission report on the activities of foreign missionaries was also suppressed. I also understand that when there was an attempt on Rajiv in Rajghat an enquiry committee was set up, but its report was suppressed. The widespread riots against the Sikhs in 1984 was never enquired into. Obviously Rajiv Gandhi had too much to hide in that organised slaughter of Sikhs.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:44)

Mr Malkani: Are you suggesting that nothing much should be read into the suppression of the Srikrishna report, if that happens, that is?

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:46)

Hello and greetings from New Delhi. I am glad to be invited by Rediff On The NeT to talk about another chapter of India's Democratic experiment.

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:47)

Divya: I am no connoisseur of music. Certainly not of the Michael Jackson variety. It was sponsored by Pepsi. It is significant that they didn't sponsor a great Indian singer like Lata. But a man like Jackson. The chief minister of Maharashtra said at that time that the whole damn thing was so noisy that he had plugped his ears. Michael Jackson is one way multinational corporations foist foreign culture and foreign mores on India. It amounts to the cultural invasion of India.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:47)

Mr Dixit: Hello, and welcome to this chat. Gujral was the first prime minister with an MEA background. So how do you rate his achievements on that front? And, now, Vajpayee will be the second PM with such specialisation -- what do you think should be ABV's priority?

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:48)

Mr Malkani: Are you suggesting that nothing much should be read into the suppression of the Srikrishna report, if that happens, that is?

K R Malkani, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:50)

Suba: The BJP's agenda is to improve our relations with all our neighbours, particularly with Pakistan. Indo-Pakistan relations were at their best when Vajpayee was minister for external affairs in the Morarji government. Actually the then first secretary of USA in Pakistan told me that if Vajpayee contested an election from Islamabad he would be returned unopposed. The BJP will improve India's overall position in the world. We want to see India as a great country, a great society and a great power.

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:51)

Most of the election results are out. Results have been announced for 539 out of the 542 or so seats of the Lok Sabha. It is again a hung Parliament. No single party has an absolute majority. To give some indications of the compositions of the forthcoming Lok Sabha, the BJP and its allies won about 250 seats, the Congress and its allies have won 140 and the UF 90 seats. If you take the allies of the Congress, it goes up a little and total UF-Congress combination according to present calculations would be 260 seats together. There are still 7 seats for which the results have to be declared. This would be declared by about the 10th of March, but the basic picture has emerged. The competition for forming the government would be between the BJP and its supporters and the Congress and the UF with their respective allies. The prospects are still uncertain. Intense lobbying to achieve a parliamentary majority has been on since the night of March the 3rd.

I am glad that so many Indians abroad are interested so much in the developments in India. I have no doubt that in the next few days there would be a BJP government in New Delhi. I know you have great expectations from a BJP government. I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. The BJP government wil do India proud. Thank you and Jai Hind.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:56)

Mr Dixit: Who do you think among Indian prime ministers so far, has achieved the most on external relations?

Nikhil Lakshman (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:56)

Good afternoon, Mr Dixit: What are the foreign challenges that confront the next government? And whom would you personally like to see as foreign minister?

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:57)

Sai: Memories seem to be short. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first PM with an MEA background. P V Narasimha Rao was the second PM who was a foreign minister for 8 years before that. Compared to this Mr Gujral's foreign affairs experience has been six and a half years but yes, he is one PM we have had with experience as foreign minister. Mr Vajpayee's priorities, if he becomes the PM, could be strengthening India's relations with its neighbours on a more practical basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit. A second priority would be to ensure necessary external inputs to strenghten India's economy. His third priority would be to strength India's national security apparatus and defence capacities. He would also focus attention on strengthening India's relations with important power centres of the world and on strengthening the UN, with India acquiring a suitable position in the UN.

Rediff@BJP HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 3:58)

That was K R Malkani, who spent almost an hour with us.

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:2)

Nikhil: The first part of the question is easy to answer. The major challenges are ensuring India's economic modernisation and consolidation. Second to fashion a pattern of relations with India's neighbours which will ensure peace and stability in our region. Third, creating a defence policy which will ensure India's security. Whom would I like as foreign minister personally? It depends on which party forms the government. In the purely personal capacity the best would be for either Mr Vajpayee himself or the PM of the other combination to hold the foreign portfolio themselves as Nehru did. This may not be possible, in that case there are senior members of the different political parties who are qualified to hold this post.

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:3)

Sai: Comparisions are invidious. I would rate Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Narasimha Rao as the PMs who made distinctly important contributions to India's foreign policies.

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:4)

This is not a matter of speculation. The President will act according to the constitutional requirements and will call upon the leader of whichever party or parties has the majority support in Parliament.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:4)

Mr Dixit: How would you rate Gujral's performance as foreign minister? It is said that he was obsessed with normalising relations with Pakistan, without taking into account ground realities. Do you agree?

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:7)

Jairam: I don't think we should categorise any of our neighbours as permanently dangerous or inimical. At points of time and in certain aspects of their policies they may pose a challenge to our interests. The approach of a sober foreign policy should be not to counter countries but to try and find ways of establishing a working relationship which will avoid conflict or confrontation. I believe this has been the approach of India towards Pakistan and China, particularly over the last 15 years.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:7)

BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj sounding optimistic on her party forming the next government, on television. The numbers will come from MPs, is all she is saying.

Rediff@BJP HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:10)

Bangaru Lakshman, one of the senior BJP leaders, and the only scheduled caste vice-president, will be here with us in half an hour...

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:10)

Mr Dixit: What will be the impact of a BJP government, which seems certain to assume office next, on our policy towards the Middle East?

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:10)

Saisuresh: Mr Gujral was not obsessed with just one country. This would be an unfair judgement. He wanted good relations with all the neighbours of India particularly with Pakistan because Pakistan and India have more difficulty in their relations. Mr Gujral is a man of good intentions. He certainly has an idealistic approach on foreign relations. In some respects his foreign policies did improve the atmospherics of South Asian regional relations. But I agreee that he had an undercurrent of unwillingness to structure our foreign policy on the basis of objective ground realities.

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:12)

Pillai: well the rsults are more or less out. The BJP and its allies have won 250 seats. They may seek additional support from the 12 MPs of the Telugu Desam party and from the 24 Independent MPs who have been elected. They may also negotiate for support from some members of the UF. The picture will become clearer by March 10th.

Rediff@BJP HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:13)

Sai: Sushma Swaraj today announced that the high-level meeting at the BJP was an informal one called by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, since both leaders happened to be in town at the same time. It was basically a question of pooling together of information that the various leaders had...

Rediff@BJP HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:14)

The meeting, which was called this morning, was attended by only those senior leaders who were in town at the time...

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:14)

Tejovikas: I think there would be continuity on foreign policy on issues related to the Middle East. And about relations with Israel it is my assessment that the BJP would be more emphatically Indo-centric in its foreign policy orientation.

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:17)

Saisuresh: My full name is Jyotindranath Dixit. I come from Kerala. My parents always called me Mani. A name which was easier to pronounce which my friends took up. So J N "Mani" Dixit or Mani Dixit.

Nikhil Lakshman (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:18)

Mr Dixit: The BJP has spoken of a nuclear option in its manifesto. Do you think a nuclear test by the new BJP govt would cause serious problems for the country as a whole?

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:19)

Rediff@BJP: Has the party decided when it will meet the President to stake its claim? Or, now that the Congress has virtually thrown in the towel, will it sit back and wait for the President to invite it as the single largest party?

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:23)

Prabu: We must take precise note of what the BJP has said. It has said that if it forms the goverment, it will review India's nuclear policy and induct nuclear weapons and missiles as necessary to meet India's national security concern. The BJP leaders have indicated that a decision whether to hold a test or not is a technical matter which will be taken on technical grounds. There are two schools of thought about testing. Some say that it is not necessary. In the light of India's technological work on the uses of nuclear energy. Others say that it is necessary if we want to weaponise ourselves as well as demonstrate our capacity to the world. In my view, possession of nuclear deterrents in one form or the other is necessary to meet India's national security requirements. The BJP or other parties which form the government should take a decision taking this into account. The details depend on political and technical considerations which are well known.

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:26)

Tejovikas: In my opinion the BJP will only continue the policy of friendship and co-operation with Israel which commenced during PM Narasimha Rao's time. I do not think it would or should affect our relations with the Middle East or Pakistan. Countries in this region should take note that our relations with Israel means that we do not want to have a good relation with them. India's foregn relations must be reponsive to India's own interests. India should not depend on general views and attitudes of other countries. In any case other countries have also been realistic in this matter.

Rediff@BJP HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:27)

Sai: BJP leaders here say that there is a definite precedent established by both Presidents Venkataraman and S D Sharma who invited the single largest parties to form the government. Under the circumstances, they believe that as the single largest party they will be invited to form the government...

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:28)

Anita: A weak government cannot fashion or implement a unified or purposive foreign policy. I agree a weak government is and will be harmful for our foreign relations.

Rediff@BJP HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:28)

They are not worried about establishing a majority, Sushma Swaraj says it is a given and that the UP situation will not be repeated in Delhi...

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:31)

Saisuresh: I was speaking in plain English. Obviously you do not know how diplomatese is spoken. Some of the predecessor governments of India were not entirely Indo-centric, particularly the recent UF government. This is my personal value judgement. I have always felt that being Indo-centric is better for us. To clarify matters further, being Indo-centric means that your foreign policy will be always concentrating on India's interests. Not on wanting to be a world leader or philosopher on international relations.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:31)

Rediff@BJP: So when can we expect the current manthan to settle down? Is the BJP looking at getting the TDP to abstain from voting, or back it outright in Parliament?

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:34)

Anita: If you observe the political situation in Pakistan Nawaz Sharief is facing many pressures, ethnic, religious, economic despite having a parliamentary majority. I do not think that Pakistan wants a military conflict with India. Any war would be costly, both for India and Pakistan. The leaders of both countries and public opinion in both countries realise this.

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:36)

Tejovikas: I do not know where the contradiction is. There has been no negative behaviour towards India because of our relations with Israel. Trade continues, oil supplies continue. Large number of Indians continue to work in the Gulf countries. That is why I said what I said in answer to your earlier question.

Rediff@BJP HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:38)

Sai: In the morning it was said that the BJP prefers a minority government for the present. But later K R Malkani said while chatting with us that the party will form a majority government. And he had categorically stated that the BJP would get the TDP's support. So the situation is more or less settled. Pramod Mahajan said that even if the TDP would not support it would remain neutral. So it seems that the party is quite confident of the TDP not going the BJP, now.

Mr J N Dixit, former foreign secretary (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:39)

Saisuresh: Since making of the country's foreign policy is never going to be left entirely in my hands, I should not suffer from a mistaken sense of ambitious prospects. I was a part of the foreign policy establishment of India for nearly 40 years. Foriegn policy is made and adjusted according to changing circumstances. It is not something which can be predicted. Thank you. I am signing off and I enjoyed the chat.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:42)

Mr Dixit: Thank you, sir, and bye

Rediff@BJP HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:42)

Mr Bangaru Lakshman is here now with us...

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:43)

Rediff@BJP: Is there any soul-searching going on over Maharashtra and Rajasthan, or is it being overlooked in this moment of euphoria?

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:44)

Now the situation is alright. Things are moving in the right direction.

Rediff team @ Congress HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:44)

We are back now. We had lost the VSNL connection for the past two hours. The Congress has announced at its official press briefing that the party will take a decision on forming the government only after the CWC meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 5 pm.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:44)

Hello Mr Lakshman, and welcome to this chat. How does it feel to belong to a party perceived to be a stronghold of the forward classes?

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:46)

Mr Lakshman: Isn't it a certainty that you will be part of the Vajpayee cabinet?

Rediff team @ Congress HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:46)

Congress spokesperson V N Gadgil said anything about the proposed Congress-led, United Front-supported government will be known only after the meetings of the UF core committee, the Left front and the Telugu Desam Party.

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:47)

I expect that the TDP should react positively to the BJP. Both in the interests of the state where the party is in power and also in the naion's interests. We have learned that their Politbureau is meeting today. They had one sitting in the morning and there woulod be another in the evening. Since the Politbureau consists of very senior people of their party and some of them have participated in national politics too, they know the mood of the people in the country.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:47)

Rediff@Congress: Would you say that the party is more or less resigned to the BJP forming the next government? At least, that is the impression I got watching Pranab on television.

M D Nalapat, Co-ordinating Editor, Times of India (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:48)

Hello Everyone, I am ready for your questions.

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:48)

I personally feel they would take a positive decision in favour of the BJP.

Rediff team @ Congress HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:49)

"We are making an effort to build a secular front which could provide a stable government under the leadership of the Congress party," Mr Gadgil stated.

Nikhil Lakshman (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:50)

Hullo, Monuji. What is your reading of the election result?

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:50)

We were fighting both the Congress and TDP. But with regard to the Congress's claim that our growth in Andhra is at the cost of the TDP is not fully correct. If you take into consideration the four seats we won, two we wrested from Congress and other two from the TDP. But the post election scenario is totally different.

Rediff team @ Congress HQ (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:52)

Sai: I think the Congress is now reconciled to the fact that the BJP will form the government. Though the party is making an all-out effort to rope in all UF partners to join a Congress-led government, not many in the party believe that it will succeed.

M D Nalapat, Co-ordinating Editor, Times of India (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:52)

The mandate is to ensure that there is no repeat of the situation between 1950 and 1990 when governments dominated citizens. These governments were very intrusive and tied the initiative of citizens with a host of regulations that served to generate huge bribes. It is small wonder that many politicians and officials who mourn the end of the licence-permit raj are keen on a return to the Nehru dynasty that created and presided over the system. The current mandate is such that no single party can dominate Parliament. Whoever forms the government will have a powerful opposition. This is to be welcomed.

Nikhil Lakshman (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:52)

In your opinion, Monuji, will Sharad Pawar go on to bigger things or fall by the wayside, a result of Sonia's animus?

Nikhil Lakshman (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:54)

Monuji: What, for you, were the big surprises of this election?

j (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:54)

Mr Laxman: Why did the Telugu Desam suffer a drubbing in coastal Andhra?

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:54)

But for the BJP in Andhra the Congress would have ended up with 30 to 35 seats. It was actually the BJP that prevented the Congress from taking those seats. If you compare Andhra Pradesh with other states where the incumbency factor played havoc like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Orissa, Tamil Nadu... In Andhra compared to these states the incumbency factor's impact was mild. TDP was able to secure 12 seats. that was because BJP has certainly cut into the votes of Congress which stalled the march of Congress at 23...

M D Nalapat, Co-ordinating Editor, Times of India (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:55)

The odds favour the BJP for three reasons 1) they have the largest number of seats and thus the heaviest centre of gravity for the smaller groups and splinters to gravitate to. 2) Unlike the Congress and the UF which fought each other during the election and are trying to remarry now, most components of the emerging BJP government got together before the election. 3) There is a clear choice for prime minister. This avoids conflicts and jockeying for positions that retards efforts of the Congress and the UF to come together. For example, Jyoti Basu may not suit the Congress as Sonia Gandhi may not suit the Left.

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:55)

J: Even in coastal Andhra had BJP not been there it would have been a field day for the Congress. The TDP, I hope, will realise that but for the BJP, the Congress would have gained much more...

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:57)

RajG: Chandrababu Naidu should support the BJP in the interests of his own state and party. Therefore, keeping this in view he may make his moves wisely...

j (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:58)

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:58)

Tejovikas: Thank You vey much and hope we will live up to your expectations.

Nikhil Lakshman (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:58)

Do you think -- and this is for both Mr Laxman and Mr Nalapat -- the BJP is riding a tiger? In the sense that it may not be able to cope with the demands of allies like J Jayalalitha, George Fernandes and Dr Subramanian Swamy?

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:59)

RajG: Namaskaram

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 4:59)

Tejovikas: Yes!

M D Nalapat, Co-ordinating Editor, Times of India (Wed Mar 4 1998 5:1)

It is unfortunate that the Congress party has adopted the policy of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in alleging that the Muslims are not safe in India if the BJP rules. This is not helpful to social stability and goes against democratic rules of the game, wherein all parties are meant to respect overall national interests. If the BJP record in the states is analysed, then it will be seen that Congress-ruled states had much worse communal problems. It is true that there are fanatics in the BJP. However, thanks to the fact that the BJP base has expanded sharply to cover (together with its allies) 37 per cent of the voters, today the moderates are much more significant in the BJP. Secondly, the BJP can hold power only with the help of parties such as the Samata Party or AIADMK. These and others have made it clear that they will oppose any move by the BJP to implement contentious measures such as the building of a temple at Ayodhya or the enactment of a uniform civil code. Thus in my view a BJP government will not in any way adversely affect the secular traditions of India.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 5:2)

There is Balram Jakhar on television saying that there are no permanent friends and enemies in politics...

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 5:2)

Nikhil: In an atmosphere like this where consensus is the key we may not encounter much problems with our allies. A seasoned leader like Vajpayee will be able to discipline all the tigers.

M D Nalapat, Co-ordinating Editor, Times of India (Wed Mar 4 1998 5:4)

Nikhil: Politics is a game of give and take. All three named by you have had long periods of political frost and persecution. This can be expected to make them realistic. The reality is that the 1998 mandate implies the need for different groups and viewpoints to work together. Only if some of the partners want all 'take' and no 'give' will there be a problem.

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 5:7)

As far as our alliance with Lakshmi Parvati is concerned we had seat adjustments with her. We didn't have a joint campaign. Therefore the seat adjustments are naturally meant for elections and the elections are over now...

M D Nalapat, Co-ordinating Editor, Times of India (Wed Mar 4 1998 5:8)

The big surprise has been the defeat of the BJP in both Maharashtra and Rajasthan (Also Haryana) because of local factors. The voters evidently put their anger at local inadequacies over the desire for a stable government. As for Mr Sharad Pawar, he is in my view the most capable Congressmen to lead a coalition. However, for this very reason he is likely to be opposed by Ms Sonia Gandhi.

Bangaru Lakshman MP, BJP vice-president (Wed Mar 4 1998 5:9)

A new political situation has arisen where even the people of Andhra have given a message to the Telugu Desam and BJP to strike an understanding. Probably if the results were favourable to Lakshmi Parvati we would have had an understanding with her too.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy (Wed Mar 4 1998 5:10)

Bangaru Lakshman: That is an amazing thing to say about Lakshmi Parvathi... I am sure you will have sung a different tune had she won a handful of seats. Ultimately, that is all that matters, isn't it?

M D Nalapat, Co-ordinating Editor, Times of India (Wed Mar 4 1998 5:11)

Sai: Most Congress leaders have prospered in the years after 1973 when elections within the party were given up. From that time (except for a brief experiment with inner party democracy in 1992 which was subsequently abandoned) Congress leaders have come up not by tending the grassroots but by cultivating their superiors. In this system, the Gandhi family was the apex. Congressmen remind me of birds that return to the cage after being set free.