The Hindu : I will be party-Govt. link: Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 14, 2002

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I will be party-Govt. link: Advani

By Anita Joshua

NEW DELHI JULY 13. Even as the `new-look' BJP today resolved to regain its ``appellation'' of being a ``party with a difference'', and cash in on what it claims to be the ``feel-good factor'' for the organisation — courtesy the NDA rule — greater coordination with the Government was advocated with the Deputy Prime Minister, L. K. Advani, providing the interface.

Emerging out of an hour-and-a-half-long meeting of the office-bearers that the BJP president, Venkaiah Naidu, convened here this morning — the first after the party was given a facelift on Thursday — Mr. Advani said: ``The party and Government link should be maintained, and I will do so.''

``Specially invited'' to the meeting at the party headquarters, Mr. Advani echoed Mr. Naidu's observation that the people had a lot of expectations from the BJP. ``Under the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the country would have `suraaj' (good governance), and under the new leadership, the party would be able to regain the appellation given to it in 1980 of being a `party with a difference'''.

The party had managed a ``smooth'' changeover in leadership with two of the ``most successful members'' of the Union Cabinet — Mr. Naidu, and the spokesman and general secretary, Arun Jaitley — agreeing to give up their ministerial berths to work for the organisation. This was, in the opinion of Mr. Advani, proof that the BJP continued to be a ``party with a difference''. ``This could have not happened in other parties,'' he added. There should be no room for indiscipline or factionalism. All party functionaries were expected to tour the country to discharge their responsibilities. Also, they had to ensure that their behaviour was different from that of the politicians of other parties.

Later, briefing the media, Mr. Jaitley said that an observation made at the meeting pertained to the national executive meeting in Goa being a ``turning point'' for the party. The NDA had already established a record for good governance and there were several issues on which the message of good governance could be carried to the people.

Citing the Goa election results as an indication of the people's ``good opinion'' of the BJP, Mr. Jaitley said the return of normality to Gujarat owing to the efforts of the State administration and police, the peaceful Jagannath `rath yatra', the smooth changes in the party, maintenance of national security, and the economic upturn had created a ``feel-good factor'' and ``this message should be taken to the common man in an aggressive manner''.

Mr. Jaitley said the NDA had proved wrong all those who had written off coalition politics. The NDA coalition — which was put together keeping in mind the national and regional interests — was an assertion that coalitions could work.It was decided at the meet that the party's national council would meet in Delhi on August 3 to ratify Mr. Naidu's appointment.

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