Huge gap between promises, delivery: JD-U leader

Former parliamentarian Pavan K. Varma of the Janata Dal-United, an ally of the NDA led by the BJP, on Sunday said there was a huge gulf between promises and delivery and it would be difficult to repeat the 2014 poll outcome.

"In my personal opinion, it is going to be very difficult to replicate 2014 (general election's outcome). And, I say this as a friend of the BJP, since my party is aligned with the BJP. The main reason is there is a huge gulf between what you call promises and deliveries," he said in conversation with noted historian Gurcharan Das at the Times Lit Fest at the India Habitat Centre here.

The former diplomat said the BJP had not been able to live up to all the promises it made before the general elections.

Referring to the "ill thought out" demonetisation and the "ill rolled out" Goods and Service Tax, Varma said people have put the government under a "robust interrogation".

"It's turning into a robust interrogation. People are beginning to ask questions. But nothing is possible unless the opposition shows organised rigour," he said.

The former diplomat said every democracy needed a strong opposition to keep a check on the government, adding that it helps maintain accountability and keeps the democratic process rolling.

When Das asked him how do you stop the (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi juggernaut, Varma said: "Juggernauts are not permanent."

"Politics is dynamic. Power is never guaranteed to any individual or party. The Bharatiya Janata Party itself once had only two or three seats in Parliament. But today, it is the single largest party."

--IANS

ss/tsb/bg