New Delhi, Apr 15: In a exclusive interview to Zee News Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took exception to BJP President Venkaiah Naidu’s statement in Lucknow, that there was no one before and after Vajpayee to lead India. Talking to Zee News’ Rahul Dev PM dismissed Naidu’s claim as flimsy.

Prime Minister refused to buy the idea of the upcoming elections being a personality-centric contest. He rather dubbed it as a war of ideologies between different political parties. Though he blamed the Opposition for trying to debase the level of debate by focussing more on personalities than on issues facing the country.
Vajpayee reiterated his commitment to secure a developed India by 2020. When questioned about peace with Pakistan that would be more than necessary to realize such a dream, he said that it would last only if both sides agree to solve all outstanding issues through talks. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the growing regional imbalance, which he said must be dealt decisively with.
When questioned whether an attempt to cast BJP in his liberal image would be stable as it has been successful, PM said that the transformation has been internal rather than something engineered by him. He added that it was not because of him alone that alliance politics in India had come of age. He liberally shared the credit for the same with his party, which he said had helped him throughout to manage and effectively run a colossal coalition like the NDA.

Through the course of the parley he also expressed displeasure over being kept in dark over non-Nato status being granted to Pakistan and said that India never asked for such a favour from world’s sole super-power.


Bureau Report