Report

AICC DIARY

BJP Slogan Misleading

03.05.2004 : Shri S. Jaipal Reddy and Dr. Abhishek Singhvi briefed the Press.

Shri S. Jaipal Reddy charged the BJP of deliberately and grossly misleading the nation on two very very important counts — one relating to its agenda, the other relating to its leadership. He said when the BJP had started its campaign, it kept on chanting that its only issue would be ‘Vikas’ or development. Second, they had said that their issue would be the leadership of Mr. Vajpayee. They are now no longer talking of development. Therefore, our charge is that they have misled the nation both in regard to their agenda and also in regard to their leadership.

Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said because of BJP’s new-found interest in the minorities, he would like to ask nine questions from Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee: They are:

1. In your recent speeches you have been promising the Muslim community jobs and financial aid admitting that in the past your party has not treated the minority fairly - is it fair therefore to say that you have now become a pseudo-secularist and are now appeasing minorities as a way of winning their votes?

2. If you are genuinely concerned about the Muslim community then in the light of the stinging rebuke of the Narendra Modi government by the Supreme Court- why have you not yet dismissed him or ask him to step down as Chief Minister of Gujarat?

3. If you are genuinely troubled about the Muslim community then why have you not apologized to them for the demolition of Babri masjid by your party men in collusion with the Sangh parivar?

4. If you are genuinely concerned about the Minorities will you ask the CBI to arrest LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati for their conspiracy and participation in ‘the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya and for fomenting the communal riots in the country?

5. Is your concern for the Muslim community only a passing phase coinciding with the news that there will be a hung Parliament and that you may not be Prime Minister again?

6. Or is your concern for the Muslims another example of your flip-flop.. like when you said earlier that the BJP did not need the Muslim vote to come to power or like when you said in Parliament that the 1999 elections was your last electoral battle and you would not stand for election ever again?

7. Is your appeasement of the Muslim community appended with a sub text- that if you do not vote for the BJP- you will unleash the wrath of the Togadias and the Singhals on them?

8. Have you taken permission of the RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal - specifically of Praveen Togadia and Ashok Singhal before you made your appeasement of the Muslim vote bank?

9. In the several flip – flops, can you let the people of India know which masks you are wearing during the election campaign and let Mr. LK Advani know the name of the company that manufacturers these masks you wear - so that he can order some of them for his personal use?

Reverse Count for BJP

05.05.2004 : Shri Anand Sharma briefed the Press.

Shri Anand Sharma said, as the polling for the third phase is about to conclude we can say with a fair degree of confidence and with a sense of responsibility that a reverse count for the BJP and the NDA has started. As the campaign progressed, they have forgotten their own original point through which they carried forward their campaign. The ‘feel good factor’ and the Shining India campaign have actually backfired as is evident for the growing disenchantment of the voters from the BJP and the NDA. The weaker sections of the society, the youths and the farmers feel let down and betrayed by this Government.

The BJP nervousness is on the rise. Their new plank on which they are now begging votes for stability is a hollow one, because their so-called stability represented five years of trade offs and compromises on ideology and principles. The NDA did not represent the stable political platform, but an opportunistic alliance. It is like a revolving door where alliance partners walked in and walked out. The Prime Minister was under siege for the first half of the term with blackmails or pressures by the partners for Ministerial berths and portfolios. So, even the stability plank has not worked.

Firm Conclusion

06.05.2004 : Shri S. Jaipal Reddy and Dr. Abhishek Singhvi briefed the Press.

Shri Reddy stated that at the end of the third round of polling and keeping in view the expected trends of voting on May 10, the Congress Party is firmly convinced that the people of India have decisively rejected the BJP-led NDA Govt. A secular, non-NDA Govt. led by the Congress Party is now inevitable.

Decisive Blow

08.05.2004 : Shri Dr. Abhishek Singhvi briefed the Press.

Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said it is now clear from the elections that the NDA’s DNA does not match with the feel good. The polling on 10th May is going to pronounce a decisive blow to the NDA and the 13th May would be the day of its decimation. The BJP is completely rattled and in panic. Dismissing the authenticity of the opinion and exit polls, he said that we could now say with a fair degree of confidence that the Congress Party with its allies will win with a substantial margin and would gain power at the Centre.

Favourable Reports

09.05.2004 : Shri S. Jaipal Reddy and Dr. Abhishek Singhvi briefed the Press.

Shri S. Jaipal Reddy said as the country is poised for going to the fourth and final phase of polling, we are glad to note that reports from our party sources are highly favourable not only in regard to the three earlier phases, but also in regard to the phase that is due to take place tomorrow.

The BJP leaders, of late, have in a defensive operation been stressing the fact on stability, which, in our view, is nothing but a confession of defeat in their camp. We are confident about the unity of the secular forces, which have already become part of the Congress Party in various parts of the country.

Thanking Voters

10.05.2004 : Dr. Abhishek Singhvi briefed the Press.

Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that we want to convey our thanks to the electorate for turning out today to vote. Our all-India reports from various workers and office bearers lead us to believe that Congress supporters are turning out in large numbers to strongly support and vote for the Party. We are looking forward to a change in Government in a few days.

The focus of a new Congress-led Govt. would be, in particular, on employment generation and agriculture. We are, of course, singling out the two out of many other issues, as we believe that these two are the need of the hour. They are also perhaps the two most neglected issues.

We are confident of victory approaching us in a few days. We are sure that the freedom from mis-governance, which India so richly deserves and which the people of India so strongly desire is round the corner.

Verdict for Change

13.05.2004 : The Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, after the Congress Working Committee meeting briefed the Press.

She said that the people of our country have given a verdict for change. This General Election is a strong rejection of the BJP-led coalition. We, from the Congress Party campaigned on moral and ideological grounds. On behalf of the Indian National Congress and on my own behalf I thank the voters for the confidence that they have reposed in the Congress Party and in other like-minded parties.

Over the next few days the process of Government formation will gather momentum. The Congress Party will take the lead to ensure that our country has a strong, stable and secular Government at the earliest.

When asked if she was going to be the Prime Minister, Smt. Gandhi said that the elected Members of Parliament elect their leader to be the Prime Minister.

Office-Bearers Resign

19.05.2004. : Shri Reddy and Smt. Ambika Soni briefed the Press.

Smt. Ambika Soni informed the media that all the CWC Members and all the AICC office-bearers have submitted their resignation to Smt. Gandhi in order to compel her to review her decision of declining the post of Prime Ministership. Smt. Soni said that during the last few days the Congress Party as a whole has been passing through a crises and a dilemma. We have the mandate of the electorate of India in the name of Smt. Sonia Gandhi. Lakhs and lakhs of Party workers from all over India, particularly from Rae Bareli, worked day and night to see that Smt. Sonia Gandhi becomes the Prime Minister of the country. In addition, as was witnessed at yesterday’s CPP meeting, more than 200 Members beseeched Smt. Sonia Gandhi to review her decision.

Biggest Achievement

24.05.2004 : Shri Anand Sharma briefed the Press.

Shri Anand Sharma said that the biggest achievement for the people has been formation of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance and its Government having assumed the charge. People are now feeling free after getting rid of the misrule of the BJP-led NDA Government.

Tom Vaddakan
Media Secretary