HVK Archives: BJP govt at Centre will last five years
BJP govt at Centre will last five years - The Observer
Prajanan Bhattacharya
()
February 12, 1998
Title: BJP govt at Centre will last five years
Author: Prajanan Bhattacharya
Publication: The Observer
Date: February 12, 1998
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh is confident that
Bharatiya Janata Party will form a government at the Centre
albeit with allies. He is also confident that the Ram
Jamnabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue has been resolved beyond
contention - the temple will be built.
And finally, he is confident that the Muslim, along with all
other 'religious, castes and creeds,' in India are viewing
Bharatiya Janata Party as the only party capable of taking India
towards a new dawn.
In an exclusive interview with Prajanan Bhattacharya a defiant
Kalyan Singh vowed to fight for the construction of the Ram
temple at Ayodhya, and attacked other parties, specifically the
Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the Left Front and the United
Front for issuing 'confusing statements' on the Mandir-Masjid
issue.
He also declared the Congress dead and said that the Sonia factor
would not be able to revive it. The UF he castigated as a
divided front, the constituents of which had begun 'bashing' each
other even Wore the polls.
All these 'anti-BJP parties' had no electoral issues, maintained
the BJP firebrand. Even the main (and age-old) issue of Congress
stability, had become the BJP's issue, he observed. Experts.
How do you rate Bharatiya Janata Party's prospects In the
forthcoming elections?
There is already a wave that is visible at the national level m
BJP's favour. I am confident that we will at least 65 to 70 seats
>from Uttar Pradesh alone.
I am equally confident that the party will form a government at
the Centre with the help of its allies when the time comes.
Coming back to the situation in my state, I have to state that we
have no opponent worth the name in Uttar Pradesh.
Samajwadi party and Bahujan Samaj Party are fighting each other
merely to survive. If at an they lay claim, it will only be to
the second place.
I can confidently say that BSP and the Samajwadi Party will not
even be able to retain last year's strength of six and 16 seats
respectively.
This, in fact, has y been indicated by the findings of the
council polls.
As for the Congress, it is irrelevant in the state.
This not the time for parties to stake their claim to power
alone: on the other hand, yah yug parivartan ka daur hai (this
is an era of change) and Parliamentary elections are a or a great
war to save the nation from the clutches of these parties.
How do you access the Congress chances now that Sonia Gandhi has
began campaigning?
These polls will see the Congress' sun setting, while the BJP's
sun has begun to rise. It is a fact that the people are coming to
the BJP, simply because it is the only alternative at the moment.
This is a truth that all the other parties are increasingly
realising. Many of them would be able to foresee their own
defeat.
Moreover, the BJP has gradually succeeded in becoming a totally
and universally acceptable party, it is not an untouchable party
any more.
That is because all the charges of communalism have been proved
irrelevant and meaningless.
This is an era of change. Naye log nayi soch (new leaders, new
thinking) - that is why so many leaders are coming back into the
BJP's fold.
For us, needless to say, this is an ideological victory. Our
stand is also vindicated by the fact that the masses have
rejected the pseudo-secular plank of the opposition.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is a true nationalist party, and it is
this appeal that is lacking in others.
I assure you that the party will be preparing a common minimum
programme after the elections, and with its allies, in order to
form a government at the Centre.
And this government will last through the five-year term. This I
can say with the utmost confidence.
What would be your priority areas, if the BJP were to form a
government at the Centre?
The BJP has three main issues which figure at the national level.
The fist of these is to give the people a stable, strong and
corruption free government at the Centre: the second is to
provide an able, honest leader m Atal Bihari Vajpayee the party's
prime ministerial candidate.
And finally the third issue focuses around its solutions for the
rural poor and the problems of the farmers, along with employment
schemes for the youth of the nation.
At the state level we will win because we will can upon the
masses to vote for us on our performance in the last four months,
which has brought prosperity and development to the state.
At the Centre also, a BJP government will bring about a healthy
change in the livelihood of the rural populace and will ensure
that farmers get profitable returns by monitoring agricultural
input based on expenditure.
People are fed up with instability and they want a change. The
BJP will bring about a new political era. Further, the doors of
investment are open for all.
The country needs foreign capital, but simple restrictions will
be enforced on multinationals in the consumer goods sector,
otherwise the economy of this nation will be ruined. MNCs are
going to be made welcome in the infrastructure and technology
sectors.
How do you assess the mood of the Muslims now?
The aggressiveness of the Muslims towards BJP has come to an end.
This new soft stand on their part will definitely ensure a
remarkable increase in the BJP Muslim votes. They are gradually
coming closer to the party.
Henceforth it will be a far from easy task to spread confusion
among them regarding the BJP.
We have the support of a cross section of the masses, which comes
>from all castes, creeds and religions.
What do you have to say on reports that you are taking the help
of criminals?
Hamne ab unbi ke topon ka nikh unhi ke taraf kar diya hain. (We
have turned their guns on them).
Finally, what is your stance on the Mandir-Masjid issue? Will the
party seek a consensus, if not with the opposition then at least
with its allies, once it forms a government at the Centre?
I would like to state that the BJP has already made its stand
clear by promising a Ram temple at the same site at any cost.
But since there is still some time before the nation goes to the
polls I wish all the parties that oppose the BJP would come out
openly with a promise to either support the BJP's stand or a
promise to build a mosque at the same place.
Then let the people of the country decide through the ballot,
whether they want a Ram temple or a mosque in Ayodhya.
I am clear that the people can decode only after the parties come
out with their stand on the issue before the Lok Sabha elections.
However, on the Mandir-Masjid issue, I am confident that we will
get a go-ahead m any refrendum.
The people of India definitely want a temple of Lord Ram at
Ayodhya.
Back
Top
|
