The impressive turnout of people from all walks of life during the ash-immersion rituals in Haridwar involving the departed leader and the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Sunday has enthused the State BJP-beset with factional squabbling- into firming up a plan to keep the sympathy sentiment alive till the upcoming general election slated next year. The observers say that the party think tank hopes to ride on the crest of the sympathy wave generated by the demise of saffron patriarch- hailed as the creator of Uttarakhand-during the local body elections which might be held sometime next month. “They would also strive to keep it alive till the high-stake lok Sabha election scheduled next year,” says an observer.
The saffron party insiders also say that Atal Bihari Vajpayee enjoyed a special place in the collective heart of the people of the State because he was instrumental in carving Uttarakhand out of Uttar Pradesh. “Determined in his resolve, he took in his stride the stiff opposition which came from several quarters. Besides, the former PM bestowed on the fledgling State a special category status to ensure speedy development of the mountainous State. The special industrial package given for the industrial estates SIIDCUl when he was helming the Centre has proved a boon for the State in terms of industrialisation and the subsequent generation of employment. Over and above, everybody in the State knows Vajpayee ji’s emotional attachment with the State,” said a BJP insider. He added that there is thus nothing wrong in using the towering image the saffron veteran enjoys among the people here for electoral purposes. “He was after all the founder of the party,” he said.
A long–time State watcher said that Vajpayee’s large-heartedness and his ability to rise above the sectarian party interests had shown up in his warm approach towards the Congress Government in the State helmed by the stalwart Narayan Dutt Tiwari. “Vajpayee as the PM was extremely generous towards the development of the State he had helped to come into existence. Funds poured in and Tiwari had no reason to nurse grievance towards the NDA Government stewarded by Vajpayee. The large industrial estates which came up in Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Pant Nagar could not have been possible but for the special industrial package accorded to the State by Vajpayee-helmed NDA Government. These are some of the reasons why the people of the State are likely to hold him in grateful remembrance for many years to come,” he said.
Another BJP insider said that Vajpayee’s greatness can be gauged from the fact that when some Congress leaders had been bent on pulling down the Tiwari Government through intra-party intrigues Vajpayee had lent his full weight behind the Congress stalwart. “It was the BJP leader Vajpayee who helped the Congress leader to sail through every crisis he faced. He emerged as the ‘Vikas Purush’ of the State thanks to the unstinted support Vajpayee gave him,” he said and added that they would speak of these matters when they would approach the people both during the local body elections and the general election.
It is learnt that the State BJP mandarins have firmed up a plan to go to the people with a slogan ‘Atal ji ne banaya aur BJP unje sapnon ko sakar kar samwar rahi hai’. “This is no exaggeration as the present BJP Government is focused on development, transparency and dedication-the three things envisioned by our late leader for the State he helped to come into being. The huge turnout during the ash immersion has left none in doubt that the people of the State reciprocate the love Vajpayee bestowed on them in equal measure,” said a senior BJP leader from the district.