Let8217;s make our Capital better, says Vajpayee

NEW DELHI, MARCH 10: We have to develop Delhi as a Capital and solve all its problems. This time we have the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP...

NEW DELHI, MARCH 10: We have to develop Delhi as a Capital and solve all its problems. This time we have the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP in the corporation and the Congress in the state government. This should encourage cooperation and competition between the two,8221; said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Speaking at the civic reception organised in his honour by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi MCD at Diwan-e-Aam in the Red Fort, Vajpayee said that he could not understand the occasion for the felicitation ceremony. 8220;I am not retiring and neither am I planning to take sanyas. There are a lot of things that I have yet to achieve,8221; he said.

He said that the Pokhran explosions and the Lahore declaration, for which he was being felicitated, were both initiatives in the quest of peace.

Along with the achievements of his government, he also admitted to its faults. Pointing out that the country was plagued by poverty, sickness and unemployment, even 50 years after Independence, he suggested that these were areas where local bodies could contribute. He admitted that as the BJP was in power, it was their responsibility to find a solution to these problems. 8220;For instance, when there was an onion crisis, we were held responsible for bringing tears to the eyes of our countrymen. This, despite the fact that the onion crop had failed because of the unexpected rains. People are again crying, but this time round it is the farmers. They have had a bumper crop and it is rotting as they cannot export it. We want to, but are scared because if there is another shortage we will be thrashed,8221; he said, leaving the audience in splits.

Outlining his vision for the country, he said friendly relations with the neighbours was essential for economic prosperity. This, however, would not stop the government from taking tough decisions in the interest of national security, he said. He said that after the Lahore visit, he felt that the chances of peace and mutual cooperation in the sub-continent had increased.

All praise for the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister L.K. Advani, who also spoke on the occasion, forgot the name of the MCD8217;s leader of the Opposition. Instead of addressing him as Ram Babu Sharma, he called him Ram Lal.

Others present at the function were Delhi Lt Governor Vijai Kapoor, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Mayor Yog Dhyan Ahuja, Deputy Mayor Meera Aggarwal, Leader of the MCD House Shanti Desai, Leader of the Opposition Rambabu Sharma, Delhi Ministers, MLAs and senior government officials.