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BJP must prove coalitions a success: PM

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said that with the National Democratic Alliance getting a thumping majority in the just-concluded general elections, the stature of regional parties at the national level has improved.

Addressing the concluding session of the Bharatiya Janata Party's two-day national executive meeting in Delhi, the prime minister said that coalition governance has come to stay. And the BJP has a ''big responsibility to make this experiment a success.''

In his 40-minute address, Vajpayee, who looked relaxed and satisfied with the poll outcome, told the executive that coalition governance was not successful in the past. However, there was a qualitative change between 1977 and 1999. A major transformation was witnessed during this year's elections, he said and added that the NDA strengthened national unity and the federal polity.

The electoral battle was mainly on national issues. Divisive issues were not seen or heard. Regional parties too had become greatly appreciative of national issues and concerns, he added.

This election had shown that there was ''no threat'' to the identity of any ally even when a national party like the BJP was the main partner. All the partners were enjoying equal status in running the national government, Vajpayee said.

He assured the national executive that the government would ensure that past mistakes were not repeated at the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation and said India's interest would be fully protected.

Referring to the social structure, which is undergoing a sea change, the prime minister said there were backwards within the backward castes and backwards among Muslims and that these sections should not feel deprived of their share in the prosperity.

The BJP had achieved unprecedented success in getting Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe support. ''Our endeavour to come closer to this section has succeeded,'' he admitted.

In this context, special efforts should be made to win over certain sections of the people in the Northeast, he said.

Vajpayee paid compliments to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and said the experiment in the state was worth studying. ''It is a picture of positive change. People have faced a difficult situation, ignoring temptations like free power supply to farmers, offered by the Congress in its election manifesto,'' he pointed out.

The prime minister called upon party workers to work with the government in communicating difficult and hard decisions that it takes from time to time for long term benefits. ''It is an opportunity and challenge. There is need for hard work, unity and uniform development. Regional development should be aimed at the socio-economic upliftment of the society. People are not asking for the moon. Their needs are small like drinking water, roads, communication, health, education, social justice and equal rights,'' he said.

Earlier, intervening in the debate on the political resolution which was subsequently adopted unanimously, Home Minister L K Advani said the election results were an important landmark in the history of the BJP. Even though the party emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha in 1996, it had no supporters among the other parties.

''Now so many parties are working hand in hand with the BJP. Opponents' prophesies, especially that of the Congress and the communists, has failed. It is a remarkable victory. This time every one wants to be with us,'' the home minister pointed out.

The home minister emphasised on good governance. ''This government means business. It will last long, no doubt about it. Periods of uncertainty have gone,'' he said. He emphasised that the behaviour of party MPs and ministers should be different from that of the past regimes. He called upon them to work with a missionary zeal.

He said the main cause for the setback in Karnataka was that the alliance with the Janata Dal-United did not go well with the people. People wanted a change. There was the anti-incumbency factor also.

Briefing newspersons after the executive meeting, party spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu said the executive expressed ''concern'' over the party's unprecedented debacle in Uttar Pradesh. Internal rivalry in the party, tactical voting by certain sections and anti-incumbency were advanced as the main reasons for the defeat in the crucial northern state.

The executive felt that ''steps should be taken to set things right.'' Naidu refused to elaborate what kind of steps the party was contemplating.

UNI

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