Release of militants has harmed BJP image — Advani

He said after weighing the pros and cons of the release of the militants, the Government took the decision to ensure that there was "minimal damage" to the country "keeping national interests in mind and what they (people) can digest".

Advani said people viewed the BJP as an idealist party and it was because of this that the party had been able to bring larger number of people into its fold. The Home Minister said it was because of this idealism that the party was able to join the movement of Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan by merging the then Bharatiya Jana Sangh into the Janata Party though it was a difficult decision taken after considerable deliberation.

He said members of the erstwhile Jana Sangh were expelled from the Janata Party on the issue of dual membership, namely that of the Rashtriya Swayamsevek Sangh. However, the main cause for the expulsion was because they did not compromise on idealism, he said.

He said in contemporary politics, the BJP has become the principle pole while the Congress has become the subsidiary with all other parties aligning to either of them.

He also said that all Opposition parties have become pressure groups with the exception of the Congress. "Now all parties have become pressure groups with only Congress being the party which can lay claim to be party of governance," he said.