Vajpayee Exercises Authority Over Party Rank And File

This was reflected in the deliberations of the BJP parliamentary party yesterday when Vajpayee effortlessly overruled the assertions by the party's senior MPs on various issues. Every Tuesday, the BJP MPs attend a general body meeting to air their views on various points and suggest issues to be raised in Parliament.

Some MPs referred to the dismal picture depicted by navy chief Admiral Shekhawat about the neglect of the country's defence and vociferously suggested the BJP raise discussions in the House on the subject. Suraksha (security) has been an important issue in the party's election manifesto, they said.

This got wide support from the others some of whom even suggested that the party should insist on a special debate and seek a consensus on the issue with other parties.

 

At this stage, Vajapyee, who has been listening to the overwhelming views of his colleagues, suddenly cut them short by declaring that defence was not an issue for public debate.

While he too felt perturbed over the dismal facts about the defence preparations, as a responsible opposition party, the BJP should maintain restraint on all such matters. If it raised the delicate details of the sectorwise defence allocations it would only help our enemies outside.

They would take advantage of the BJP's criticism at international fora which would embarrass the country, he pointed out. Defence is not an issue on which one should settle political scores or take mileage, he said. All those who had earlier raised the issue quietly agreed with him. Among them was Jashwant Singh who had even written a book on the increasing neglect of defence.

However, to the embarrassment of the BJP leaders, its senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi had already raised the neglect of navy in the Lok Sabha on Monday during the Zero hour under Rule 377.

Joshi had profusely quoted Shekhawat to mount an attack on the successive governments. Obviously, now Vajpayee's wise advice is going to be the last word.

Vajpayee, who had scrupulously avoided involving himself in the crisis management in Gujarat, also expressed his intense feelings about the affairs of the party.

Some party MPs had at the general body meeting suggested more protests in case the Gujarat governor tried to help the Vaghela group.

In case the governor recommended dissolution of the Assembly it would be bad for the BJP.

One MP sought to blame the Centre for their support to the actions by the controversial deputy speaker. Vajpayee snapped back: Not only our rivals, we are also responsible for bringing the crisis to this state.

Though Vajpayee expressed his utter displeasure over mixing up Gujarat crisis by improper handling