archive: For a positive campaign
For a positive campaign
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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