A hundred voices nag PM

NEW DELHI, June 25: The Bharatiya Janata Party announced today that it would celebrate the first 100 days of the government by holding publi...

NEW DELHI, June 25: The Bharatiya Janata Party announced today that it would celebrate the first 100 days of the government by holding public meetings all over the country for three days from tomorrow to educate the people on the achievements of the Vajpayee-led coalition. The government completes 100 days in office tomorrow.

8220;We have performed better than any other government in this given short period of 100 days,8221; claimed BJP general secretary, M Venkaiah Naidu today. However, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is not an happy man. Worried over the flak his Government has received of late on various counts, he has instructed his Cabinet colleagues to exercise restraint while speaking on sensitive issues.

The Prime Minister, it is learnt, was forced to take this step as a result of a growing feeling that the Government was not acting as a cohesive unit, that the ministers were speaking in different voices on various issues, thereby making the going that much more difficult for the rulingcoalition.

Vajpayee8217;s concern on this count started immediately after the Pokharan tests, when various Government functionaries started speaking in different voices on its probable impact on India8217;s relations with foreign powers. 8220;His worries have only increased since then, with ministers showing no qualms in speaking their minds on issues ranging from the demand for the imposition of President8217;s rule in Tamil Nadu and Bihar to the controversy over the construction of the Ramjanmabhoomi temple at Ayodhya,8221; said an official. 8220;Even on this last issue, he was forced to intervene,8221; he quipped The Prime Minister8217;s worries, PMO sources added, stemmed from two main developments. Besides the perception that the various constituents of Government were not speaking in one voice, there was also an awareness that its decision to roll back certain policy measures had not gone done well with the people.

The measures pointed out in this connection were the withdrawal of urea price hike, the decision to partiallyroll back petroleum prices, the dilution in the Central Electricity Regulatory Authority bill and the turnaround in granting uplinking facilities.

8220;The confusion over the hike in petroleum prices can be attributed to administrative lapses,8221; the official observed, 8220;But in all other cases, political compulsions forced the Government to roll back its original decisions.8221;

According to him, the Prime Minister was aware that his Government8217;s actions were under close scrutiny not only from the opposition parties, but also from the people in general. 8220;Obviously, nothing can now be done to undo the damage, but steps will; be taken to ensure that such a situation does not arise in the future,8221; the official remarked.

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To buttress his point, he referred to the Prime Minister8217;s alertness in pre-empting the Congress from cashing in on the latest chapter in Ayodhya crisis. 8220;It was his personal intervention that prevented the party from moving an adjournment motion on the issue in Parliament,8221; the officialsaid.

On the other hand, the party is preparing a list of talking points for distribution to leaders and party workers. BJP leaders and Union ministers belonging to the party are to address meetings in various cities. Asked if allies would also celebrate the occasion, Naidu said that they would have their own programmes. The Pokharan tests, the fresh initiatives on Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East, the industry- and farmer-friendly Budget are among the issues being touted as major achievements, besides the steps taken to pass legislations on Lok Pal, women8217;s reservation and electoral reforms.

The National Agenda had promised a paradigm shift in three areas of governance 8211; addressing the external and internal security concerns, refocussing the national development programme and giving top priority to social infrastructure. 8220;One hundred days after assuming power, we are happy that we have been able to move in this direction,8221; Naidu said.

He emphasised 100 days was a short time and a lot remained tobe done. But claimed that the BJP-led government was better than any other government so far. There was no charge of corruption against any Union minister, he declared, overlooking the resignations of Buta Singh and S Muthaiah after they were chargesheeted.

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Asked about Advani8217;s recent admission that except for the Pokhran tests the government had been able to achieve little else, Naidu said, 8220;Advani is a perfectionist. Until he achieves 100 per cent, he is not satisfied. Ordinary people are satisfied with less.8221;

Jaya coming for meet

The BJP-led coalition heaved a sigh of relief today when AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha confirmed her participation at Saturday8217;s Coordination Committee meeting here. She is scheduled to arrive in the Capital tomorrow night and will have separate meetings with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Home Minister L K Advani during her visit.