Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani has admitted that the party's 'India Shining' campaign during 2004 Lok Sabha election was a wrong projection of the realities confronting the common man.
"We could have instead chosen 'India Rising' to project the reality," the former Deputy Prime Minister told reporters on Sunday. "I happened to attend a function in Delhi recently where I saw banner 'India Rising'. I feel this would have been a more appropriate slogan to convince the people."
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, however, parried a question whether the 'rising' would replace 'shining' in the next poll slated in 2009, saying, "Please don't ask me about future slogans. Your suggestions are welcome!"
Advani's remarks came on the first anniversary of the murderous assault on former BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan, who had orchestrated the 'India Shining' campaign and the ad blitzkrieg for NDA in the last general elections.
Mahajan was shot at allegedly by his brother Pravin on April 22 last year in his South Mumbai apartment. He died on May 3 last year.