‘Vajpayee’s political journey is synonymous with the BJP’s’

• In the process of trying to present a moderate face, the BJP seems to be running short of issues. Isn’t that why your Vision Document looks more like a photo album of Vajpayee? Isn’t it supposed to be a party’s manifesto, and not an individual’s?
R S Sharma

The content of our Vision Document entirely speaks of issues with which we are concerned. It does not deal with personalities. However, a special edition of this which was circulated to the media had several photographs of the PM which are in the shape of the pictorial history of the Jana Sangh and the BJP. Unquestionably Shri Vajpayee’s political journey is synonymous with the party’s journey from Day One.

• There has already been some discordant noises from within the Sangh Parivar on your Vision Document. How does your party plan to convince the RSS ideologues, especially on issues like the Ram Temple? In the long run, will your party be able to stand up to pressure from hardliners within the Parivar?
M Naqvi

We have invited suggestions from several persons including the public through our party’s website on the Vision Document. We have discussed various proposals with several organisations including trade unions and chambers of commerce. I have personally discussed with various organisations of the Sangh Parivar. Their inputs have been valuable. The final decision with regard to the contents of the Document however is that of the BJP. The Parivar organisations have by and large praised the Document.

• Your party has made development its main poll plank, as was the case in the recent Assembly polls. The results, or rather non-results, are evident. Look at Madhya Pradesh — what has Uma Bharti done by way of development? For a party which supported Modi despite the Gujarat riots, isn’t this ‘‘moderate, development’’ face just another mask?
Prarthna Chaddha

The direction in which our State Governments in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are progressing is a development oriented direction. The Gujarat Government is doing exceedingly well. The MP Government has started tackling the problems of power, roads and development aggressively. ‘‘Development’’ is not ‘‘instant coffee’’ that will take place overnight. Over the period of tenure, our Governments will produce significant results.

• When an Indian occupies a high political post in any other part of the world, you applaud the ‘‘feelgood’’ success of the diaspora. So why is your party harping on Sonia’s foreign origin. Isn’t this double standards?
Shailendra Kumar

Every country has its own history and culture. A significant part of the population in some countries consists of those who have migrated from other countries. Their demographic component decides their political preferences. A country which has undergone hundreds of years of foreign rule will consider being led by a person of foreign origin as abhorrent to its history and culture. It will be an onslaught on our national pride.

• Why has the BJP changed its stand on Article 370? Is it convinced that it is morally correct to give special status to a State because the majority belong to the minority community?
A Maheshwari

The BJP has not changed its stand on Article 370. Our Vision Document clearly states that the party recognises the status issue of Jammu & Kashmir in the Indian Constitution as merely temporary and transient. We therefore regard Article 370 as temporary and transient. Yet, we are convinced that the immediate problems of the State can be tackled by a war on terrorism, working for economic development of the State and within the State ending discrimination against Jammu, Leh and Ladakh regions.