New Delhi: Congratulating AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on her spectacular comeback in Tamil Nadu, senior
BJP leader L K Advani has told her that the campaign against
corruption would have suffered a setback had the DMK combine
retained power in the state.
Soon after Jayalalithaa's AIADMK stormed back to
power, Advani spoke to her over phone and congratulated her.
"I told her that we had built a national campaign
against corruption and so her victory in the elections was
significant. Had the result of the elections been different,
that too in a state where the main accused in the recent cases
of corruption are from, it would have been a big setback,"
Advani told reporters here today.
The senior BJP leader felt his party's campaign in and
outside Parliament against corruption in UPA has played a big
role in making this an issue across the country.
He told Jayalalithaa that DMK had been defeated as the
people felt strongly against corruption. This was the second
telephonic conversation between the two leaders.
"I had called her earlier about 10 days back to talk
about these elections and the issues," Advani said.
DMK leader and former Telecom Minister A Raja is
already in jail in the 2G spectrum allocation scam while party
supremo M Karunanidhi's daughter and MP Kanimozhi is facing
charges of benefitting from the pay-offs.
Asked about the election outcome in West Bengal,
Advani said, "The end of communism in the world took place in
1989 when the Berlin Wall, its citadel, crumbled and the
Soviet Union disintegrated. However, in India it took 20 years
for this to happen."
However, he avoided a direct reply to a question on
whether this marks the end of the Left parties in the country.
"Communism has changed itself here. It became
democratic (joined the electoral process). This is the
complaint that the Maoists and naxals had against communism.
When naxalism started in naxalbari this was the issue they had
with the communists," he said.
Advani had tried calling TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to
congratulate her but could not reach her as she was busy.
The BJP Parliamentary Party Chief does not see the
election results as a major cause of concern for his party.
The party does not have high stakes in Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
West Bengal and Puducherry.
He did not comment on the results in Assam where the
party was hopeful of a better performance but the result was
dismal.
"Some people make unrealistic expectations. These
elections had become so polarised that there was no chance for
any other party. There was a time when the Left candidates
used to win from UP, Maharashtra and several other states but
it is not the case now," Advani said.
He, however, appreciated the efforts made by his party
leaders and cadre in the poll campaign in these five states.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, May 14, 2011, 21:41