Power eroded credibility, rues Advani

Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani came down the pedestal of self-glory on Saturday and virtually admitted that power has eroded the party’s credibility, thanks to the conduct of its leaders.

This bold assessment of the party strongman came during his valedictory address to the national executive committee here in the afternoon. Reminding his colleagues of the culture of idealism which was associated with the Jana Sangh, he said: ‘‘I ask myself and I would like all of us to ask ourselves, ‘why should something that has been our strength, our sustaining force, get diluted now when we are in power? Does this mean that idealism and power politics cannot go together? There are many who think so. And we have to prove them wrong.’’’

Advani, who once crafted the term ‘‘party with a difference’’ for the BJP, confessed: ‘‘The BJP is yet to instill confidence in the people that even in respect of idealism and values, our activists are different from those in the other parties. We have still to prove that we have the ability to overcome the weaknesses which power breeds.”