Problem is in Cong culture: Advani

But barring a passing acknowledgement that the BJP was going through a ‘‘bad patch,’’ it ended up sounding like a chest-thumping account of the BJP’s ‘‘glorious past’’ which was on its way to ‘‘a magnificent future.’’

Advani chose to focus on the Bihar election victory and the BJP sweep in local bodies elections in Gujarat to conjure the old ‘‘feel good’’ mood, holding out the hope that the BJP would not just make gains in the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal and Kerala, but also return to power in a possible mid-term Lok Sabha election. Claiming that the ‘‘UPA government continues to blunder and flounder,’’ he held out the hope that the people of India will once again look to the BJP as ‘‘the real, reliable and markedly better alternative.’’

Having lost his presidency for daring to challenge the RSS worldview, Advani also reverted to his pre-Pakistan yatra mode—reiterating his commitment to India’s ‘‘Hindu ethos,’’ to the building of a temple ‘‘befitting Bhagwan Shri Ram at his place of birth’’ and to showering praises on Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi for setting ‘‘a shining example of a transparently honest and effective government.’’

He also spend several minutes underlining his old theme that India was both secular and democratic because of its ‘‘Hindu ethos’’— seemingly oblivious to the fact that he had extolled Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s ‘‘secular vision’’ for Pakistan and had indirectly acknowledged that even a Muslim leader of a Muslim-dominated nation could be secular.

Rather than focus on the problems within, Advani also relied on the ‘offence is the best defence’ tactic by launching a bitter attack against the Congress and reiterating the demand that Sonia Gandhi step down as NAC chief since the Congress party—along with ‘scapegoat’ Natwar Singh—had been named in the Iraqi oil-for-food deal.

Without a trace of irony considering the BJP’s own recent tryst with corruption and sleaze, Advani said, ‘‘The Volcker report has only reinforced the Congress Party’s utter disregard for probity in public life. It is the responsibility of every member of the BJP to carry this shameless tale of sleaze to every corner of India and mobilize people to demand an explanation.’’

With the shrinking of the NDA over the last two years and the refusal of many partners to vote along with the BJP during the recent Winter Session of Parliament, Advani made it a point to emphasise ‘‘the importance of inculcating and internalising the coalition dharma to preserve and promote the NDA.’’ However, he added: ‘‘The BJP is not only the leader but also the moral force that binds allied regional parties to a national alliance.’’

‘Party mission incomplete until Ram temple is built’

Mumbai: BJP president L K Advani on Wednesday said the party’s mission would not be complete without construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. “BJP’s mission will not be complete unless a temple befitting Bhagwan Shri Ram is built at his place of birth. Everyone one of us must rededicate ourselves to this mission for Shri Ram is not just a religious icon, he is also a symbol of the Indian ethos, culture and unity.”

Advani also advocated strict population control norms for persons contesting Parliamentary and Assembly polls. “BJP-ruled states should take the initiative. Population control is unpopular due to excesses committed during Emergency. But it should not stop the nation from pondering over population pressure on resources.”