Colourful show, off-colour PM

answer,” he replied when asked whom did he consider his main opponent.

When asked about the status of George Fernandes and Rama Krishna Hegde — whether they were there as JD (U) leaders or as leaders of their respective parties Samata and Lok Shati, Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Majahan came to his rescue. He said George was there in his capacity as convenor of the NDA.

Vajpayee was again put in a spot when a journalist asked what measures was he taking to ensure George and Hegde did not do a Jayalalitha after the polls. Vajpayee could barely mutter, “No, that would not happen. We have leant from our experience”.

Why did the Government not take Bofors scam to its logical conclusion during its 15-months in office? “We were waiting for the last set of documents from the Swiss Government. Kagaz hil rahe hain, tezi se chal rahe hain (papers are moving fast) and we will file chargesheet as soon as we get the relevant documents”, he said.

Vajpayee was found wanting when asked him why his face was everywhere in the BJP’s campaign. Wasn’t it the personality-orientedd politics, that the BJP was already opposed to? “I don’t believe in such politics. I will have to look into why no other leader was there in the campaign”, Vajpayee said.

Why was Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah there when his party was contesting against the BJP? “He is our honoured guest,” the Prime Minister said adding as an afterthought, “Yes, of course we do not have an alliance but his party supported the BJP-led Government for 13-months”.

“We do not have a list of journalists to put questions through to the Prime Minister. You should raise hands and a mike would be passed,” Mahajan told reporters at the start of the conference, taking a dig at Congress president Sonia Gandhi who is alleged to have “chosen” a few to ask questions at her.

It was the same house where the NAG was released last time — only the occupant had changed. While it was Vajpayee at 7, Safdarjang Road last year, now it was Pramod Mahajan but the venue was considered auspicious.

The Prime Minister could not answer why there was a moratorium on contentious issues like Article 370, the Ayodhya temple and uniform civil code. If he did not believe in them why not bury them forever? “We have only taken a first step and a firm one,” he said.

But though the PM’s performance was off colour, there was enough colour elsewhere in the show. The release of the manifesto was greeted by a series of firecrackers which lasted for almost 10 minutes. The ceremony was conducted by Mahajan and was attended by almost all NDA leaders except Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

It was Mahajan’s show all the way, what with swankiest of shamianas and furniture. Vajpayee was so amazed at the wooden chair — with the Ashoka pillar carved at the top — that he was heard asking Mahajan, “Ise kahan se mangaya (from where did you get it).”

Seating arrangement for journalists was such that for once they did not have to fight for space and vision — photographers in the front, print journalists at a slightly elevated platform and then video cameras at the far back. Reporters seemed too pleased with the plastic bag containing the manifesto and of course the food – with Chinese, South Indian and Mughlai and an assortment of desserts.