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Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today charged the United
Front Government of leading the country to instability by pursuing
"negative brand" of politics, which had also exposed the inner
contradictions of the 14-party coalition Government.
Addressing a public meeting at the sprawling brigade parade ground
here, Mr Vajpayee also used the occasion to openly challenge the
Leftists in the Marxist heartland. He felt that the UF Government
had made its position ridiculous by periodical appeasement of both
the Left and the Congress to ensure its survival at the Centre.
"The BJP wave is on," he said, referring to the impressive
victories notched by his party in all the recent elections and
appealed to the people to strengthen the BJP, "the only stable
national alternative. "
Enthused by the massive turnout at the BJP-sponsored rally in the
Left-ruled State, Mr Vajpayee also predicted a quick rise of the
BJP as the third political force in the State. To gather people's
support in the State, he repeatedly referred to several vital
issues relating to West Bengal-particularly to the Ganga water
sharing deal between India and Bangladesh, which he said would
always be opposed by the BJP as it would only lead to disastrous
consequences for Bengal, Bihar and other States.
He also brought into focus the inner contradictions in the CPI(M)
over joining the UF Government, especially to Mr Jyoti Basu's
controversial comment that the CPI(M) had committed a historical
blunder by staying away front the Centre. "It is not important who
is the Prime Minister but how the country is being governed," he
remarked.
The former Prime Minister was equally critical of the handling of
foreign affairs by the coalition Government. "There is now an
impression that India is a liberal country and ready to yield space
to others. "But any bilateral relations must be on equal basis," he
said, pointing out as an instance that it was high time that
Bangladesh was asked to give up its pronounced anti-Indian bias.
Stop infiltration from across the border and solve the problems
facing the hapless Chakma refugees, he said.
"The budget placed by Mr Chidambaram is a dream budget to everyone
except the poor," said the former Prime Minister.
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