India needs a realistic PM, not an economist: BJP president

Says prime minister is in silent mode

Saying that the country was passing through a deep economic crisis for the first time since Independence, BJP president Rajnath Singh today said that the country needed a 'realistic' prime minister and not an economist like Manmohan Singh.

Singh, an MP, said, "The Prime Minister is in the silent mode and soch raha hai (thinking what to do). The Prime Minister is a big economist. Vajpayee was not an economist but a realist. You compare the economy during the NDA and UPA regimes."

"After the UPA came to power in 2004, the rupee went to the ventilator, the dollar is climbing the escalator and the domestic investors are on the runway ready to invest overseas and the educated youth is on the runway," Singh said at an interactive session organised by ICC and MCC Chamber here.

Singh noted that during the NDA regime from 1998 to 2004, India was a current account surplus nation, but turned into a current account deficit (CAD) country during the UPA rule.

Pointing out that the UPA government had made a deadly

combination of high external debt and high current account deficit, Singh said, "The present problems are beyond the control of the UPA government and India needs a change."

The BJP had repeatedly asked the government in both houses of Parliament to take steps to control the CAD, but nothing had been done.

"All this happened due to wrong policies and planning of the government as well as rampant corruption. I am saying that the success story is not over, but waiting for the return of the BJP," he said.

Singh also criticised the government for having no conviction or vision.