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'Gentleman's agreement' says Advani
Our desicion based on pragmatism and wisdom: LK Advani
Times of India, June 7, 1995
New Delhi: BJP's president LK Advani today said the BSP and his party had a
'gentleman's agreement', but no common minimum program.
The BSP had sought support for its government by the BJP "at least till the
Loksabha elections", but the party would like to support it for the rest of its
tenure. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:
Q: What is the arrangement between the BJP and the BSP in UP?
A: The BSP said if we are entirely dependent on your support to remain in
power, then there has to be a gentleman's agreement - support us at least till
the Lok Sabha elections. We told them that we are not thinking of an arangement
only till the Lok Sabha - you can stay on for what remains of the five years.
Q: Will you have a common minimum program?
A: No, we won't. We didn't have a common minimum program with the Janata Dal
in 1989. It does not add up to anything.
Q: For argument's sake, if BSP said tomorrow that it would build the Babri
Masjid, what would you do?
A: Why are you asking a hypothetical question? I can understand such a question
by a political adversary, but not by a journalist. We have sought no assurances
I don't think the Congress asked Chandra Shekhar for any assurances or vice
versa. VP Singh thought it necessary to have weekly dinners with the Marxists
and with us but we didn't ask for it. I am sure that there will be some infor-
mal arrangements for dialogue in Lucknow.
Q: The upper caste MPs from UP were so unhappy that you had to hold a meeting
to explain your action to them.
A: Not at all. In fact, most who spoke at the meeting said, "Can we not have
it for the entire tenure? Can't we have a long-term arrangement?" I said "Why
are you thinking in those terms? We'll see. At the moment don't think of a
long-term arrangement."
Q: So there will be no electoral arrangement with the BSP for Lok Sabha
elections?
A: I don't rule out anything. At the moment, it is not part of our thinking.
Q: One can understand that you wanted to get Mulayam Singh out of power. But
what made you decide to support the BSP which has been spreading hatred
against upper caste Hindus?
A: The BSP has been unhappy with the SP government for some time but there
has been a patch-up each time there has been talk of withdrawal. This is not
surprising given that no legislator wants to see his tenure cut short abruptly.
If we had not offered our support, Mulayam Singh would not have been dislodged.
Our experience with the Akali Dal showed us that the proximity between our
two parties improved communal relations in Punjab, despite our political
differences. This is also one of the considerations in our relationship with
the BSP which would seem politically logical to our supporters. It would
contribute to social cohesion between various sections of Hindu society. We
are not thinking of the political advantage to the BJP, because that depends
on many other factors, when the general elections are held and what happens
in the interim.
Q: When Mr Charan Singh, and later, Mr Chandra Shekhar, came to an arrangement
with the Congress, similar to yours with the BSP, people said it was opportu-
nistic. How does the BJP reconcile its boast of bringing values back into
politics with this present action?
A: Sould a party which is committed to certain principles be embargoed from
what can be described as pragmatism, common sense and wisdom in politics?
We came to the conclusion that there could be nothing worse than the Mulayam
Singh government.
Q: Will people still believe that you are committed to value-based politics?
A: I don't have to explain it to the people. Everyone has accepted it without
demur. A few days back, I met Ashok Singhal in Bombay and he expressed approval
of our action though it had not been discussed with him before. And if the
BSP has been critical of the BJP, it has been even more critical of the VHP.
Q: Kanshiram continues to call BJP Manuwadi - he has described your action as
opportunistic. Mayawati called on Mr ND Tiwari, she rang up Mr VP Singh.
Don't you feel that you are being used and that when your help is not needed
the BSP will drop the BJP?
A: It doesn't matter at all. You are thinking in political terms. I am
thinking in terms of social harmony that our arangement will create.
Q: But how are you sure that Mayawati, too, has social harmony on her agenda?
A: That's not the isssue. Did anyone tell her followers to shout Jai Shri Ram
and Jai Bhim? It happens automatically. Of course, I am not saying that there
will be a radical change because they shouted some slogans.
