The Hindu : BJP joins issue with Sonia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

BJP joins issue with Sonia

By S. Nagesh Kumar

HYDERABAD, JAN. 13. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost no time today in living up to its promise of making the leadership qualities and foreign origin of Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, an election issue.

The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, and the BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, separately attacked her for questioning the NDA Government's claim that there was `feel good' situation in the country and for accusing it of raising her foreign origin as it was bankrupt of substantive issues.

Mr. Advani said he did not know "whether to be angry or feel pity for her" for saying that the BJP's policies had ruined the country. He also found ``amazing'' Ms. Gandhi's remarks directed at the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, that his poetry would do no good for ruling the country. "People will never forgive such ahankar (arrogance)," he said.

He felt that interest in poetry or fine arts shown by a political leader should be welcomed as an additional qualification. "A rival (to Mr. Vajpayee) should always be equal (in stature) and I can only pity her," the Deputy Prime Minister added while addressing a meeting of the BJP State presidents and general secretaries here.

Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, who was addressing a press conference later, said it was the BJP's considered view that only an Indian-born person should become Prime Minister. While the Supreme Court had ruled that Ms. Gandhi was eligible for election as an MP, his party was questioning whether people would accept a person of foreign origin for the highest position as also her ability to become Prime Minister.

The BJP was also not suggesting that she should not contest the election, but it was quite natural for a leader's capabilities and conduct to come under scrutiny before the polls.

The BJP chief challenged the claim of senior Congress leader, Pranab Mukherjee, that except for the 1999 polls, none of the previous elections saw opposition parties project anyone as PM candidate. He said the Congress party's `chintan baithak' at Shimla had placed a condition that a coalition of opposition parties would be acceptable only if it was led by Ms. Gandhi. "The Congress has changed its tune now since it has no takers for its earlier position," he added.

Mr. Naidu said the Congress had all along banked heavily on dynastic rule, which was its undoing. Even the CPI (M) was refusing to join in an electoral alliance citing fundamental differences on economic issues. Ultimately, both would be losers, he said.

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