Just a day after the BJP bought peace with the VHP by agreeing to consider its demand for legislation on constructing a temple in Ayodhya, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today said it was not feasible because the Government did not have majority in the Rajya Sabha. He asked the VHP to appreciate the BJP’s commitment to ideology along with pragmatism demanded by changing circumstances, adding that the party’s ‘‘anti-Muslim image was hurting its ability and capability’’ to rule the country. He was speaking to the daily Tarun Bharat: ‘‘Why Ayodhya? Any Bill cannot be passed without the support of the Congress and we should accept this harsh reality,’’ said Advani who visited the RSS headquarters here and held talks with its chief, K Sudarshan, and other senior functionaries. Earlier, in an informal chat with reporters on way to Nagpur, Advani had made it clear that ‘‘any narrow appeal of Hindutva is not acceptable to us.’’ Speaking at three different functions here, Advani emphasised that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will continue to be the BJP’s chief leader and prime ministerial candidate for several years to come. ‘‘While there were seven prime ministers between 1988-1998, there has been only one (Vajpayee) since then,’’ he said and forecast a victory for the BJP-led alliance under Vajpayee’s leadership. ‘‘Vajpayeeji will continue to lead us for many years,’’ he added. Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan pitched for legislation to build a temple, saying the BJP would bring it after getting a clear majority.
