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Mutual praise showers in BJP`s `chintan baithak`
Mumbai, June 18: Putting behind the unsavoury leadership controversy that rocked the party recently, BJP leaders today closed ranks at their brainstorming session with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee heaping lavish praise on deputy premier L K Advani and party president Venkaiah Naidu.
Mumbai, June 18: Putting behind the unsavoury leadership controversy that rocked the party recently, BJP leaders today closed ranks at their brainstorming session with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee heaping lavish praise on deputy premier L K Advani and party president Venkaiah Naidu.
Addressing the four-day 'chintan baithak' of the party ahead of the crucial assembly polls, Vajpayee, who had earlier caused a stir by announcing that Advani would lead the party to victory, said, "not only he (Advani) is a source of strength for me in the government, but he also devotes a lot of time and energy to guide the party in its work".
Advani was not present at the meeting. He would be arriving for the meeting from his foreign tour late in the night.
The Prime Minister, whose remarks were seen as a rebuff to Naidu's statement that BJP would be projecting both Vajpayee and Advani in its poll campaign, also praised the party chief for his "tireless efforts" to enliven the activities of the party.
"I am astonished by his (Naidu's) energy level. If all the functionaries and activists work with such enthusiasm, I have no doubt that we shall overcome all challenges before us and arch towards success," Vajpayee said.
The meeting, being attended by senior party leaders besides RSS joint general secretary in charge of BJP Madan Das Devi, is expected to draw up the battle strategy for the assembly and Lok Sabha polls besides preparing the party's 'Vision 2020'. Naidu, who has been on a damage control mission ever since Vajpayee made the surprise remarks, praised the Prime Minister saying it was the party's good fortune to have a great leader in him "whose popularity among the people was growing even after five years in office".
"In Atalji and L K Advaniji, we see the great qualities of S P Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (the founding leaders of BJP's earlier avatar Jansangh)," he said.
The controversy, which was seen as an indication of the power struggle within the party, had threatened to take an ugly turn with HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi joining issue with Naidu and claiming no decision was taken at any party fora to project Vajpayee as 'vikas purush' (man of development) and Advani as 'lauh purush' (iron man).
Advani, who refused to be drawn into the controversy initially, sought to scotch it later by declaring there was no controversy and Vajpayee would remain the prime minister for many years to come.
Significantly, Vajpayee in his address today exhorted party workers to bear in mind that "political power has an intrinsic quality of reducing people's trust in rulers. Therefore, our conduct in government and as functionaries of the ruling party should be such so as to neutralise this trust-eroding quality of power".
The Prime Minister said the mid-course correctives, initiated after BJP's national executive in Goa in April 2002, have yielded positive results.
Naidu said BJP was proud of its association with the RSS since it derived its ideology and idealism from Sangh and it would continue its efforts to improve coordination with Parivar outfits.
Bureau Report
Advani was not present at the meeting. He would be arriving for the meeting from his foreign tour late in the night.
The Prime Minister, whose remarks were seen as a rebuff to Naidu's statement that BJP would be projecting both Vajpayee and Advani in its poll campaign, also praised the party chief for his "tireless efforts" to enliven the activities of the party.
"I am astonished by his (Naidu's) energy level. If all the functionaries and activists work with such enthusiasm, I have no doubt that we shall overcome all challenges before us and arch towards success," Vajpayee said.
The meeting, being attended by senior party leaders besides RSS joint general secretary in charge of BJP Madan Das Devi, is expected to draw up the battle strategy for the assembly and Lok Sabha polls besides preparing the party's 'Vision 2020'. Naidu, who has been on a damage control mission ever since Vajpayee made the surprise remarks, praised the Prime Minister saying it was the party's good fortune to have a great leader in him "whose popularity among the people was growing even after five years in office".
"In Atalji and L K Advaniji, we see the great qualities of S P Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (the founding leaders of BJP's earlier avatar Jansangh)," he said.
The controversy, which was seen as an indication of the power struggle within the party, had threatened to take an ugly turn with HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi joining issue with Naidu and claiming no decision was taken at any party fora to project Vajpayee as 'vikas purush' (man of development) and Advani as 'lauh purush' (iron man).
Advani, who refused to be drawn into the controversy initially, sought to scotch it later by declaring there was no controversy and Vajpayee would remain the prime minister for many years to come.
Significantly, Vajpayee in his address today exhorted party workers to bear in mind that "political power has an intrinsic quality of reducing people's trust in rulers. Therefore, our conduct in government and as functionaries of the ruling party should be such so as to neutralise this trust-eroding quality of power".
The Prime Minister said the mid-course correctives, initiated after BJP's national executive in Goa in April 2002, have yielded positive results.
Naidu said BJP was proud of its association with the RSS since it derived its ideology and idealism from Sangh and it would continue its efforts to improve coordination with Parivar outfits.
Bureau Report