Take a break, Vajpayee advises Cong

8220;There is no inner-party democracy in the Congress. Its leader is not elected. And none can raise voice against her,8221; Vajpayee said.

Blaming the Congress for frequent elections and political instability, he said toppling governments had become the party8217;s 8220;prime business8221;. It not only pulled down the BJP-led government but had earlier toppled governments of I K Gujral, H D Deve Gowda, Chandrashekhar and Charan Singh, he pointed out.

Vajpayee said his government could have managed one vote to survive in the trial of strength but 8220;we did not want to buy MPs by following the path of the Narasimha Rao government,8221; he said.

Vajpayee also raised the issue of extending reservation to castes aspiring for inclusion in the backward castes category.

The Jat community, which has been a traditional Congress vote-bank, has been agitating for reservation in this State. The State BJP, in league with disgruntled Jat leaders in Jat Mahasabha, has been trying to exploit the community8217;s resentment with the Congress on the issue.

Starting his speech with a homage to the warriors who sacrificed their lives in Kargil, he said that India had scored a major military and diplomatic victory in Kargil. He said the armed forces would be strengthened and equipped with modern weaponry to frustrate Pakistan8217;s evil designs.

He reiterated that his party formed the government, with the help of friendly parties, at a time when the country was going through difficult times. Soon it started tackling the problems effectively and the situation improved. This worried the Congress. So, it conspired with other parties to overthrow the government.

Vajpayee accused the Congress of 8220;creating political instability8221; which had emboldend Pakistan to make adventurous intrusions into Kargil.

8220;Pakistan thought that since the Lok Sabha had been dissolved and India was in the thick of political upheaval, her effort to redraw the Line of Control in Kashmir would not be effectively challenged,8221; he said.

Replying to the allegation that Kargil was the result of his government having been naively taken in by actions of Nawaz Sharif, Vajpayee said he had gone to Lahore because 8220;we want friendly relations with our neighbours. But Pakistan betrayed us and got a lesson for its misadventure8221;.

He said his government could not fully implement the agenda of development because it was not allowed by other parties to remain in office.

But if returned to power we would complete the unfinished part of the agenda.

As Vajpayee was going to conclude his speech, State election incharge and Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Agarwal slipped a note to him. Vajpayee then took up the issue of the backward groups.

Vajpayee also mentioned each one of the war heroes of Jodhpur and recounted their tales of valour.