Editorial
The Observer
May 3, 1999
Title: For a positive campaign Author: Editorial Publication: The Observer Date: May 3, 1999 Prime Minister Vajpayee was only stating the obvious when he said that the imminent general election would be a 'do-or-die' one. Every general election is. A caveat is in order, though. And this is to ensure that the quality of the campaign remains high and is centred on critical issues before the nation. Such a campaign note would not only enable the world's largest democracy to hood its head high but also allow the electorate to decide on the basis of the parties' proposed solutions to the real and substantive issues. To that extend, the Prime Minister's assurance on Sunday that the election campaign should not be 'personality-centred but emphasise on issues and achievements of the government in the last 13 months' deserves to be welcomed. The Prime Minister did not just leave the matter at the general level. He went on record that a debate centred on whether or not persons of foreign origin should be allowed to hold some of the heights offices in this country would not be 'health'. Obviously, his remarks were promoted by conjectures of Missionaries Sonia Gandhi becoming the Prime Minster in case the Congress emerged as the largest party in the 13th Lok Sabha. It is true that such a prospect leaves a large section of Indians cold. But it is equally true that the decision is best left to the electorate without unduly vitiating the political environment. This would be the wisest course, and it needed a statesman of Mr Vajpayee's' calibre to caution the nation against belittling itself with unworthy concerns. Mr Vajpayee has set high standards. Hopefully, the decision of the BJP-led alliance to fight the election on the basis of a common manifesto is in consonance with the drift of Mr Vajpayee's perception. It is to be hoped that other leaders and parties ranged against the BJP-led coalition would respond in equal measure to keep the election campaign on a consistently elevated level. Their in ability to band together under an alternate programmatic alliance is not a bar from committing themselves separately to keep the election campaign on a positive note.
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