HVK Archives: Congress has no options: Advani
Congress has no options: Advani - The Hindustan Times
CHO Ramaswami
()
20 April 1997
Title : Congress has no options: Advani
Author : CHO Ramaswami
Publication : The Hindustan Times
Date : April 20, 1997
In a wide-ranging question-answer session between Tamil
actor/playwright and satirist CHO Ramaswami and BJP chief L. K.
Advani, the latter feels that the BJP's current problems are a
result of the party's phenomenal growth. He forecasts that the
Congress would be reduced to irrelevance in the nation's politics
Q: There has been a lot of sudden developments in the political
spectrum. What do they mean to the BJP?
A: The present developments vindicate our evaluations of the nature
and longevity of the Gowda Government. When this Government was
formed with the coming together of 13 parties and the external sup-
port of the Congress, their only bond was their resolve to keep the
BJP out. We had said then that this is a Government without any
mandate and this is a political absurdity because neither the
largest party, the BJP, nor the second largest party, the Congress,
is there in the Government. The third party, with a strength of
less than the quorum of the House, is leading this Government and
how do you expect this Government to hang on to power for long? For
the last few months, whenever I was asked how long this Government
would last, my answer has been, this will not survive 1997.
Q: Do you think the Congress Party has done the right thing by
withdrawing the support to this Government?
A: The Congress Party has not withdrawn its support because of it,
confidence to face the elections but because it feels that it is
becoming more and more irrelevant as the time passes. If this
Government continues for another 10 months with the external
support of the Congress Party, then the latter would be doing
'harakiri'. Their calculation is to withdraw support, stake the
claim for forming the Government and if possible, muster a majority
or else settle down for the role of an Opposition. This is the
kind of logic that has made the Congress Party withdraw its
support. It had no other option but to do it, I would say.
Q: Do you think the country is ready to face yet another general
election, so soon after the last one? That too, when the
probability of yet another hung Parliament looms large?
A: A general election within one year of the earlier one is
definitely a burden on the country, no doubt. But the total
directionlessness and stagnancy in terms of policies and in terms
of attitude in the matter of all important issues that grips this
Government is costing the country dear. On the ground, the economy
is in bad shape. Important decisions are not being taken by this
Government. I have a feeling that the performance of this
Government in the last nine months has made the electorate think
more and more in favour of giving a clear verdict for a party and
end this stalemate forced on the nation. This is one factor that
is weighing in our favour. I cannot attribute it to any other
factor except that the voters are unhappy with the nature of the
present Lok Sabha and the performance of this Government.
Q: You dub the United Front as an unnatural combination and an
alliance born out of opportunism. Okay, how then would you justify
your alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the formation of a
mandateless Government in Uttar Pradesh?"
A: Ours being the largest party we have the mandate to form the
Government in Uttar Pradesh, We have enlisted the support of only
one smaller party, in this case the BSP, and that is also
justified. We have not formed the Government on any negative plank
like the United Front, but on the positive approach that the
stalemate in the State should-be ended and a popular Government
should be formed. For six months, even after the elections, we
were being denied our natural right to form a Government and that
too after the High Court had given a verdict that we should be
called to form the Government. This seemed to be the only way out
of the impasse. If the SP forges an alliance with the BJP or the
Congress has an understanding with that party, there is no
complaint. But if the BJP joins hands with the BSP it becomes a
crime because the myth that the BJP does not have any allies is
getting broken! One after the other, the BJP is getting friends
everywhere like the Shiv Sena, the HVP, the Akali Dal, the Samata
Party and now the BSP which the forces inimical towards us are
unable to digest.
Q: People have started feeling that the BJP is not sure of itself
in view of what has happened in Gujarat and Rajasthan. What have
you to say about that?
A: It is a mere coincidence that both in Gujarat and Rajasthan,
shortly after these unhappy developments at the legislative levels,
our popularity was put to test at a number of by-elections. The
fact that we won all these seats comfortably indicates that the
people may be unhappy and distressed that a party like the BJP
should betray such evidences of indiscipline and opportunism at the
legislative level but the support for the Party continues at the
ground level.
Q: People repose faith in your party not because of its ideology
but because they consider it to be well disciplined and a cut above
other political parties which breed opportunists within their
ranks. That confidence has got shaken now after what has happened
in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Do you realise it?
A: Ours is not a party where the people are not permitted to enter
until they go through a period of trial and given a card only when
they are tried to tested, as people tend to believe. Anybody who
says that he believes in the ideology and programmes of the party,
agrees to abide by the party's discipline gives it in writing and
signs it, becomes a member, The whole system of election is such
that we do not insist on issuing tickets only to those with a
record of service in the party. So, even a person who enters the
party three months ago becomes a member, an MLA, an MP or even a
minister. These things do create problems. But within our
limitations we will see to it that such elements are weeded out and
nip indiscipline with firmness from now on.
Q: Is there any particular reason why indiscipline crept into the
well-oiled BJP machinery and is shaking its very roots?
A: I don't agree that it has shaken our roots. It has come as a
warning to us and opened our eyes to the problem. That way it was a
blessing in disguise, I would say. These problems of indiscipline
and dissensions within the ranks can be attributed to two factors.
Firstly, it is phenomenal growth of the party in the last one
decade. Secondly, it is environmental pollution. The whole
political atmosphere is so polluted with such things that some of
them in the BJP have also succumbed to that. We are now careful to
keep such elements at bay.
Q: You claim that you do not go for alliance just for electoral
gains. If that he so, what kind of an alliance is that with the
Shiv Sena in Maharashtra which is out and out political
opportunism?
A: Relationships are built in politics because of two factors. One
is ideological and the other is idealistic conduct In 1972,
Jayaprakash Narayanji had just then launched his 'total revolution'
in Bihar and had given a call to the Jan Sangh and the RSS to
extend support to his movement. His attitude towards us and our
ideals were completely antithetical till then. He had been severely
critical of us. We thought that the country needed a polity based
on certain ethical values and hence idealistic conduct in public
life was imperative. Even though ideology was not a bond between
us, we felt, idealism was a bond that united us behind
Jayaprakashji. Likewise, with Shiv Sena, though that party does
not measure up to our standards of idealistic conduct. It has many
things in common with our ideology. It was only after the Shiv
Sena adopted 'Hindutva' as its plank, that we came closer.
Q: One of the major reasons for corruption seems to be election
expenditure and donations received by the political parties and the
candidates for elections. The Election Commission has enhanced the
ceiling for election expense recently. Would you recommend state
funding to prevent this culture of political parties and
politicians taking donations in the name of elections?
A: It is not a question of mere ceiling. What is necessary is to
implement the numerous electoral reforms that are being talked
about. We have been in favour of State funding all along. State
funding must be accompanied by complete embargo on private funding.
Ii can be enforced, provided we have the will.
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