Vajpayee plays "level" on political morality

"For 40 years we have been playing the game according to the rules. But if you have to fight those who play foul what are you supposed to do? There must be a uniform standard," Vajpayee told the media on the concluding day of the party’s three-day National Executive. He said other parties have been violating the norms and rules with impunity whereas the BJP has been adhering to them.

The party called for a "level playing field" in the mid-term elections and warned its political adversaries not to play foul while expecting the BJP to play by the rules.

He said the party did not want to take a chance and be "left on the lurch" like it happened last year, when there was a shortlived BJP government at the Centre.

The candid admission came after Vajpayee was repeatedly grilled on the BJP’s claims of being a party with a difference and the upholder of probity in public life when it had double standards on the issue: lambasting Laloo Prasad Yadav for his involvement in the fodder scam while tying up with the AIADMK though Jayalalitha has been implicated in numerous cases of corruption.

The subject of alliances, particularly the Jayalalitha-Laloo issue, kept popping up at the press conference. Vajpayee sought — unconvincingly — to draw a distinction between Laloo Prasad and Jayalalitha, arguing that there was a "world of difference" between the two and that the case against the former was "of a different type".

That the BJP can take a purely legalistic stand when it is convenient was clearly illustrated. "According to the law, a person is innocent until proved guilty. Allegations have been made and Jayalalitha has denied them. The case is in court and she is facing trial. Once Jayalalitha is proved guilty she will have to suffer the consequences."

The BJP is still trying to win more friends and influence people. Vajpayee said that talks were on with various groups. "We don’t want lack of support to prevent us from ruling like the last time. Where we are not strong we are taking the help of allies," he said.

He said that a common minimum programme, like the one the United Front had, could be considered if necessary.

The BJP leader said "the elections should be fought on important issues like stability, corruption, accountability and threat to internal and external security. The debate during the election campaign should be of a high level so that the voter is given a clear cut choice".

The BJP’s shadow prime minister said that a law would be framed to clear the way for a Ram temple in Ayodhya if the issue was not solved through dialogue.

In keeping with the party’s new, pragmatic politics policy, Vajpayee said that Ram and Swadeshi would not be the main issues in the coming elections. "The situation has changed in the country. But there is no question of abandoning them." Asked to define what the BJP meant when it promised liberalisation with a human face, Vajpayee said reforms should not mean a free-for-all. "Even bigger units need protection if they are facing unhealthy competition from multinationals. Economic reforms will continue in the sense that free competition is encouraged. But this should not mean that smaller units suffer. Small scale units are suffering a lot now."

Meanwhile, the National Executive could not complete its agenda thanks to the fog in Delhi which had delayed the flight on which Vajpayee and other leaders came to Bhubaneshwar.