Not A Candidate For Prime Ministership

Nagendar Sharma: Would the BJP’s new and second generation leadership be able todeal with the challenges faced by the BJP ?

Rajnath Singh: Well, there is no challenge as such. There are times of ups anddowns in the life of any movement or political party. I think the partyleadership, which works as a cohesive team, would be able to collectively overcomethe challenges which you say are being faced by the party now. The BJP wouldsoon be a ship sailing smoothly. 

Listener from Delhi: Sir, three basic issues of the BJP – Ram templeconstruction at Ayodhya, abrogation of Article 370 & Uniform Civil Code – are raised only whenthe BJP is in opposition. You were in power for six years,why was there no progress on these then ?

Rajnath Singh: I want to make it very clear that BJP has not given up any ofthe basic issues. The ideology and philosophy with which BJP was formed wouldcontinue to guide the party. The NDA government was not a BJP government, it wasa BJP-led government, and we were dependant on many allies to remain in the majority. Wewere running a coalition government, and coalitions only work when there is aminimum understanding among the alliance partners. However, this does not meanthat the party has given up any of its basic issues.

Listener from Chattisgarh: The second line of leaders in the party areengrossed in a serious power struggle amongst themselves. Isn’t thistarnishing the towering personalities of Atalji and L K Advani? How would youwork as a president of a party plagued with infighting?

Rajnath Singh: First of all let me make it very clear that there can be nocomparison between the political stature of Atalji and Advaniji with that ofsecond line leaders. These two leaders have done so much for the party and thesociety – there simply cannot be any comparison there. Also, let me tell you, there are nodifferences among the second generation leaders, whether it is Pramodji, Arunji or Venkaiahji all of them are cooperating with me. Media is definitelytrying to project differences, where none exist. The proof of this is that I wasunanimously elected the president of the party, and today it is difficult tofind such an example of collective functioning in any other political party.

Nagendar Sharma: Is Mr Rajnath Singh BJP’s candidate for prime ministership duringthe next general elections, as your party says the UPA government would notcomplete its full term?

Rajnath Singh: No not at all, the question does not arise! With Atalji andAdvaniji as our leaders, we do not even imagine that our names would be taken.It is beyond imagination for us that our names be compared with the politicalstatures of Atalji and Advaniji. These two leaders have done so much for theparty and public, they are our leaders.

Listener from Surat: What kind of relations would you keep with the RSS,given that L K Advani had to quit the presidentship after his Jinnah remarkswere disliked by the Sangh? Also why was Uma Bharti thrown out like this fromthe party despite her having worked tirelessly for the party?

Rajnath Singh: So far as the BJP is concerned, the Jinnah episode is a closedchapter for us. Advaniji himself made it clear in his Mumbai press conferencethat the way he should have communicated his thoughts on the subject, possibly, could nothappen. On the Uma Bharti matter, I would not like to make any comment because thedecision had been taken well before I became the party president. The decisionon Uma Bharti was taken at the highest forum of the party,the BJP parliamentary board. At times such decisions which appear to be harshhave to be taken, even if we do not like them. While working for a politicalparty, you are bound by certain principles, the Lakshman Rekha which is drawnshould not be encroached.

Listener from Karnataka: There is a common perception that the BJP worksunder constant pressure from the RSS. How much pressure is there in day-to-dayfunctioning of the BJP?

Rajnath Singh: There has been no pressure from the RSS and there would be nopressure in the coming days also. Being a Swayamsevak myself, I can say withconfidence that there is no pressure. As a Swayamsewak, when we are faced with aproblem, we discuss that with the RSS, the world’s largest socio-culturalorganisation, in the same manner as we would do  with our family and friends.But one thing is clear, the RSS never interferes in the functioning of the BJP. We discussand would continue to discuss matters with the Sangh, but to take a finaldecision is the job of the BJP.

Listener from UP: Has the BJP shut its doors once and for all on UmaBharti?

Rajnath Singh: Well, the decision to expel Uma Bharti, as I said, was taken bythe highest decision making body of the party, the parliamentary board, and thedecision was unanimous. Now if we receive any application, any representationfrom Uma Bharti seeking her re-entry, the parliamentary board would definitelyconsider the issue, beyond this I would not like to comment further on this.

Listener from Assam: Mr Singh, on what basis does the BJP call theCongress and Left pseudo-secular, when you use the name of religion frequentlyin your politics?

Rajnath Singh: I do not merely call these parties pseudo-secular, but I callthem communal as well! The Congress and Left parties are doing caste andreligion based politics to be in power, that is how they have formed thegovernment at the centre. The Congress character of appeasement is well known to the country since ShahBano case, and the way the present UPA government has shown disrespect to courts inregarding  reservation for Muslims in Andhra Pradesh, and the latest case ofAligarh Muslim University, shows that the UPA government and parties supportingit believe only in appeasement. We are saying that the politics should be basedon justice and equality.