Date:14/05/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/05/14/stories/2004051409760100.htm

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Vajpayee quits, offers cooperation to new government

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI, MAY 13. The outgoing Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who submitted his resignation, today extended his "hand of cooperation" to the new government. The defeat of the ruling coalition, the National Democratic Alliance that he was leading, had not affected his determination to proceed forward, he said.

Addressing the nation on Doordarshan, he said that it was always "with the will of the people" that governments were formed and changed. This power of democracy was a matter of pride to the nation that the people must always cherish and preserve. His party and alliance may have lost, but India has won, he said.

He thanked the people for giving him an opportunity to serve the country as Prime Minister since March 1998. "Your goodwill and affection were my greatest assets," and "your support and trust were my greatest sources of strength," he said.

Mr. Vajpayee referred to the multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic nation that was India and said that he had demonstrated that coalition governments could be stable and successfully deal with the challenges before the country. It was for history to judge but he was satisfied that he had left India stronger and more prosperous than it was when he took the reins of government in his hand. He had brought stability to the polity after a period of instability. "It is for you — and history — to judge what we have achieved during this period."

It was not a defeatist attitude that came through but one that demonstrated that he was willing to play his role in the Opposition, although he did not directly mention this.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Vajpayee said, the people had rebuffed militancy and reposed their faith in democracy. India had embarked on a historic peace process with its "neighbour," he said without mentioning Pakistan.

A shock for the BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party's crushing defeat — it was not only the loss of government but the fact that the BJP's own final tally was less than that of the Congress minus its allies — has come as a big shock for the party.

It was expecting that it could be short of a bare majority, but none of the leaders had any idea of the extent of losses the party and its National Democratic Alliance partners would suffer when the counting of votes began at 8 a.m. today.

Tomorrow, the party's parliamentary board will meet at Mr. Vajpayee's residence at 11 a.m., but it was decided today that Mr. Vajpayee would be the Leader of the Opposition.