After the deaths and defeat, Vajpayee breaks his silence: I wanted Modi out

His statement comes after NDA partners, one by one, blamed the Gujarat factor for the defeat of the alliance and their own poor showing at the hustings.

Vajpayee told Zee TV in an interview in Manali, where he’s holidaying, that he was personally in favour of Modi’s removal in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots but there were two opinions in the party. When it was left to him to decide, he had to take in mind ‘‘all shades of opinion.’’

‘‘There were two opinions on the question of removal of Modi after the riots. Some people wanted his removal. I was of the same opinion. But the entire responsibility was put on me and I had to take a decision keeping in mind all shades of opinion. I felt that holding elections would be more beneficial.’’ ‘‘We are thinking afresh on the situation in Gujarat. The matter will be considered at the Mumbai meeting of the national executive… Leadership change is also an issue,’’ he said. ‘‘We have to see what will be the losses and gains in that. We will have to have new policies.’’ As for the party suffering losses due to Modi, Vajpayee said, ‘‘On this also there were different opinions. But we did not realise that this strategy would be expoited so much outside Gujarat… The kind of films that were distributed… The whole thing was run like a campaign.’’ He agreed that it would have been better if the party had removed Modi. He said a new strategy will have to be thought out putting behind the damage the Gujarat riots did to the party’s image. ‘‘Whatever damage could have happened has happened. Now, we have to think of a new beginning.’’

Asked if he was contemplating retirement, Vajpayee said a lot still needed to be done. He said too much should not be read into L K Advani being made Leader of Opposition.

‘‘I was leader of the Opposition for many years and I got full support from everyone. Now I will give full support.’’ As for Advani leading the BJP in the next Lok Sabha elections, he said, ‘‘If Advani leads, it will be very good. The party will have to decide. It’s my desire he comes forward.’’ When asked if it was true that he was not in favour an early election, Vajpayee said: ‘‘I was neutral when this proposal was placed before me. Then I saw there were different opinions. Then it was felt that holding early polls may be beneficial.’’

As for early polls being the reason for defeat, he said there was an opinion that the climate and situation were favourable. ‘‘It was also in mind that others were not prepared and we wanted to take advantage of that also. Only later, we realised that our own preparedness was inadequate,’’ he confessed.

The former prime minister seemed to disapprove of the party’s bitter criticism of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and was of the view that it did not help the BJP. ‘‘The Indian voter does not like mud-slinging. For some time, he enjoys it but at the end of the day, mud-slinging has no place in politics.’’ This was again seen as his disapproval of Modi’s attacks on Sonia. He did not agree with the suggestion that BJP lost because it had abandoned hardcore Hindutva issues. ‘‘This is not correct. People knew we hadn’t left Ram Janmabhoomi issue. They knew we were fighting elections on other issues. We did not lose because of not raising the Ram temple issue.’’

In Gujarat, knives are out
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

AHMEDABAD, JUNE 13: With Atal Behari Vajpayee signalling that the BJP national executive would soon discuss whether Narendra Modi should continue as Chief Minister, Gujarat party dissidents seemed elated while the mood in the Modi camp was sombre.

On Sunday afternoon, state BJP president Rajendrasinh Rana, who until now maintained that there was no question of a leadership change, said if a discussion on Modi’s fate was on the national executive agenda, it would surely be taken up.

‘‘Party president Venkaiah Naidu sets the agenda and accordingly matters will be taken up. You’ll have to wait and see,’’ Rana said.

He said the high command was aware of the recent developments in the state unit and the grievances of the MLAs.

Gordhan Zadaphia, former Gujarat Home Minister, who has been leading the dissidents, said: ‘‘What they discuss at the national executive is not our concern. We have made it amply clear what we want and what our grievances, suggestions are. Now it is for the party to decide. Whatever they decide will be for the best.’’

Modi supporters seemed cautious, uncertain. ‘‘The party leadership has every right to discuss the Gujarat issue. Let things take their own course,’’ said Agriculture Minister Bhupendra Chudasama, a Modi confidant.

Another Modi supporter, Jayanti Barot, a Rajya Sabha MP and BJP state general secretary, said: ‘‘Several reasons for the BJP failure in the elections are being discussed. Gujarat is also being taken up. Let’s wait and see.’’

But MLAs and MPs, unhappy with Modi, are stepping up their campaign by keeping the party leadership in Delhi posted through Keshubhai Patel.

Keshubhai, Rana, and former Union minister Kashiram Rana will be attending the Mumbai meeting. Modi, too, will be there.

Keshubhai, who is in Rajkot, today declined comment. But a senior MLA said: ‘‘The Assembly session is over. The BJP central leadership assured us it would take a decision on this. We think it is time action is taken.’’