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Ayodhya may have outlived utility
as an electoral issue: Laxman

Laxman feels that Ayodhya may have outlived its utility as an electoral issue and the controversy over Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statements on the temple dispute have made no dent on the party's attempts to widen its base among Muslims.

In an hour long interview to PTI, Laxman who took reins of the party in August last year, spoke on a range of issues from problems of farmers complicated by World Trade Organisation obligations to the peace initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir, his Nagpur message to Muslims and the strategy for the coming assembly elections in five states.

"I am of the opinion that there can be no single agenda which could electorally help the party for all times to come. I don't think those who feel only the Ram agenda can help are correct," he said when asked if the Ram temple issue would be projected in the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

"I don't see any reason to again take it up," he added.

On the proposed dharam sansad (religious parliament) being convened by the VHP, Laxman said the government, including the BJP, has taken a stand to await and abide by court verdict on the temple issue.

"My only appeal to the VHP is to reconsider this decision on taking up a position on temple construction and not to fix up a date and programme for construction of a Ram temple," he said.

He ruled out the possibility of the BJP's allies, including the Trinamul Congress, parting ways on the Ayodhya issue saying a break with the BJP would mean another round of elections, which nobody including the Opposition was prepared for.

"Things have been made clear to them (allies). There is no need to reopen the chapter (Ayodhya) as the prime minister has repeatedly reiterated his commitment to abide by court verdict," he said.

Asked how confident he was about Trinamul Congress continuing in the National Democratic Alliance, the BJP president said, "We have been friends for over a year. I hope the interest of West Bengal is kept in mind. That was what brought us together and it is still uppermost in our minds."

Asked whether the recent controversy over Vajpayee's statements on the Ayodhya issue was a setback to the party's efforts to woo minorities in the wake of his Nagpur call to Muslims, he said, "There was no setback. It gave people who were opposed to the BJP a chance to renew their attack against the party on this front."

"Barring that, despite the problem raging for more than ten days, the kind of cool maintained by Muslims is worth noting. A systematic effort was made to provoke them but they didn't fall into the trap," he added.

Maintaining that the party was still pursuing his Nagpur line, he said the National Executive meeting New Delhi on January four and five would review the developments in the last four months.

He said he was happy that wherever he went he saw a 'qualitative change' in the composition of the audience. There was a good number from minorities, he said.

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