The Hindu : National : No question of isolating Vajpayee: Naqvi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004

National

National

No question of isolating Vajpayee: Naqvi

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 15. The Modi chapter is closed, the Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president and spokesperson, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said today even as he denied that the party tried to isolate the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on the issue.

"Mr. Vajpayee is the tallest leader in the party. Where is the question of isolating him,'' Mr. Naqvi asked. He said he was not willing to add anything more to the remarks on Monday by the party president, Venkaiah Naidu. "Whatever had to be said has been said. I have nothing more to add,'' Mr. Naqvi said.

Mr. Naidu had said that at its national executive committee meeting in Mumbai later this month the party would analyse the reasons for its defeat in the Lok Sabha elections but the issue of change of the Gujarat Chief Minister would not be taken up.

Asked what if the "Modi issue'' is raised at the executive committee meeting by any member, citing it as a reason for the party's electoral defeat, Mr. Naqvi said the poll results would not be analysed at the meeting. The debacle would be discussed at a meeting of the party's State presidents and general secretaries later.

On the political situation in Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Naqvi said that what was happening in the State was a "rehearsal" for the big wrestling match between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in Delhi.'' To a question, he ruled out going to the aid of the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government in the event of the Congress or some other parties trying to destabilise it.

On reported starvation deaths in West Bengal, Mr. Naqvi said Mr. Naidu had set up a five-member team to go to the State, make a study and report back to the central leadership. S.S. Ahluwalia, Balbir Punj, Bacchi Singh Rawat, Tataghat Roy and Rahul Sinha are the team members.

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