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‘Only Swaraj in BJP deserves to be PM’
In a development that is bound to spark a major debate in the Opposition NDA, circles in the run-up to the 2004 general elections, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Sunday named senior BJP leader and leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj as his choice for the Prime Minister’s post.
Throwing his weight behind Swaraj for nomination to the Prime Minister’s post, the Sena chief described her as an “intelligent”, “brilliant” and only “deserving” person in the BJP who could do great job as a PM.
In the third part of a marathon interview being published in his party’s official mouthpiece Saamna, the Sena chief said: “I have said many times over that there is only one person (in the BJP) who is intelligent and brilliant that is Sushma Swaraj. She is a great choice for the Prime Minister’s post. She is a deserving person An intelligent woman. She will do a great job. This is my unambiguous opinion”.
Thackeray’s announcement about his support for Swaraj’s nomination for the Prime ministerial post came exactly a week after she called on him at his Bandra residence “Matoshri” in north west Mumbai, during her visit to the metropolis to address a public rally against the UPA government over the coal block allocation scam. Thackeray, however, refrained from commenting on veteran BJP leader LK Advani’s prediction that the country was set to have a non-BJP, non-Congress Prime Minister in 2014.
“He (Advani) is nine months’ younger to me. Being elder to him, I have a right to speak (about him). But, it is difficult for me to say anything against him. What more you can expect from these people? Why are they saying like that? Let it be so…,” Thackeray said.
The Sena chief, it may be recalled, had last month debunked Advani’s prediction, likening the veteran BJP leader to a General, who has “demoralised” his own Army by ruling out victory even before the start of a war. However, this time around, Thackeray chose not to criticise the veteran BJP leader, when the interviewer drew his attention to the poll prediction made by Advani on his blog in the first week of August.
Queried as to who would be his choice for the Prime Minister’s post in the event of the emergence of a hung Parliament in the 2014 polls, Thackeray said: “What do you mean by who? There will be so many names. What is the use?”
Asked if he foresaw the possibility of Samajwadi Party leader Mulyam Singh emerging as the Prime Minister after the 2014 poll, Thackeray said: “It will be difficult for him”.
Evading a direct reply to a query on the chances of Mayawati, Sharad Pawar and J Jayalalithaa emerging as the contenders for the Prime Minister’s post. Thackeray said: “…Only those holding positions can give leadership to the country. All of them have the capability. Tell me, among them, who has stood up for the country in the past?...”
On how “strong” is the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra, Thackeray said: “At this juncture, I can’t use the word “strong” (for describing the nature of alliance between the two parties). Thinking has changed. There are personal animosities at the individual level. There are also animosities at the party level. In the past, the NDA had a leader like Vajpayee who was known for his restraint. But now there is no such leadership. But I am talking about NDA and not the BJP”.
In a development that is bound to spark a major debate in the Opposition NDA, circles in the run-up to the 2004 general elections, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Sunday named senior BJP leader and leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj as his choice for the Prime Minister’s post.
Throwing his weight behind Swaraj for nomination to the Prime Minister’s post, the Sena chief described her as an “intelligent”, “brilliant” and only “deserving” person in the BJP who could do great job as a PM.
In the third part of a marathon interview being published in his party’s official mouthpiece Saamna, the Sena chief said: “I have said many times over that there is only one person (in the BJP) who is intelligent and brilliant that is Sushma Swaraj. She is a great choice for the Prime Minister’s post. She is a deserving person An intelligent woman. She will do a great job. This is my unambiguous opinion”.
Thackeray’s announcement about his support for Swaraj’s nomination for the Prime ministerial post came exactly a week after she called on him at his Bandra residence “Matoshri” in north west Mumbai, during her visit to the metropolis to address a public rally against the UPA government over the coal block allocation scam. Thackeray, however, refrained from commenting on veteran BJP leader LK Advani’s prediction that the country was set to have a non-BJP, non-Congress Prime Minister in 2014.
“He (Advani) is nine months’ younger to me. Being elder to him, I have a right to speak (about him). But, it is difficult for me to say anything against him. What more you can expect from these people? Why are they saying like that? Let it be so…,” Thackeray said.
The Sena chief, it may be recalled, had last month debunked Advani’s prediction, likening the veteran BJP leader to a General, who has “demoralised” his own Army by ruling out victory even before the start of a war. However, this time around, Thackeray chose not to criticise the veteran BJP leader, when the interviewer drew his attention to the poll prediction made by Advani on his blog in the first week of August.
Queried as to who would be his choice for the Prime Minister’s post in the event of the emergence of a hung Parliament in the 2014 polls, Thackeray said: “What do you mean by who? There will be so many names. What is the use?”
Asked if he foresaw the possibility of Samajwadi Party leader Mulyam Singh emerging as the Prime Minister after the 2014 poll, Thackeray said: “It will be difficult for him”.
Evading a direct reply to a query on the chances of Mayawati, Sharad Pawar and J Jayalalithaa emerging as the contenders for the Prime Minister’s post. Thackeray said: “…Only those holding positions can give leadership to the country. All of them have the capability. Tell me, among them, who has stood up for the country in the past?...”
On how “strong” is the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra, Thackeray said: “At this juncture, I can’t use the word “strong” (for describing the nature of alliance between the two parties). Thinking has changed. There are personal animosities at the individual level. There are also animosities at the party level. In the past, the NDA had a leader like Vajpayee who was known for his restraint. But now there is no such leadership. But I am talking about NDA and not the BJP”.
