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Jethmalani for united front against BJP

By K.V. Prasad

NEW DELHI, MARCH 6. The former Union Minister and Independent Rajya Sabha member, Ram Jethmalani, today stressed the need for all political parties to come together in the fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led ruling National Democratic Alliance.

"I am totally disillusioned with the present regime. A change is urgently required. Democracy is like a swimming pool. If you do not periodically change the water, it will turn into a cesspool. I believe that a cesspool has already come into existence and a cleaning operation is imperative," Mr. Jethmalani said here at a press conference attended by the Congress MP, Kapil Sibal.

He asserted that the need of the hour was a united front with a common agenda and that all parties must sink their "petty differences and fights over seats."

Mr. Jethmalani, who was a Minister in the Vajpayee Cabinet, said that he would not mind challenging "an old friend" — Atal Bihari Vajpayee — in Lucknow provided it was a direct contest.

However, he dismissed as speculation reports that there was a suggestion from the Opposition that he take on Mr. Vajpayee.

Mr. Jethmalani said the "most distasteful" event had been the "hypocrisy" of the BJP in sending the Prime Minister to Gujarat on the eve of elections to ask forgiveness from the victims of the carnage. "This remorse and apology is like the 13th stroke of a clock, which shows that the mechanism of the clock is in some grave disorder."

Criticising the "feel good" and "India Shining" campaign, he said these were seen only in expensive posters and there was no evidence on the faces of the poor people.

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