Persevere to regain past glory: Vajpayee

Lucknow : Veteran BJP leader and former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has stressed the need for change in the environment in the party. There should be no place for factionalism in the party. We should work for the party smilingly in an atmosphere of conviviality taking everybody along. I have before me people who sacrificed their youthful days for the organisation and ideology. We should give up the feeling of despondency and get ready to face the challenges before the country.

Shri Vajpayee was addressing the concluding session of two-day meeting of the BJP National Council at Nirala Nagar in Lucknow on December 24. He said Lucknow is my Parliamentary constituency. I have contested election from here a number of times. I was worried about the success of the session in Lucknow. I am grateful to the President Shri Rajnath Singh for selecting Lucknow as the venue for the meeting. If there has been any shortcoming here, I take responsibility for the same.

Shri Vajpayee said the people of the country may not be aware of the difficult times we are passing through in Uttar Pradesh. We are grateful to the Mulayam Singh government for the hospitality it extended to us. But, at the same time, we cannot forget the murders of our workers during the past some years. There can be difference of opinion in politics, but how far is it justified that the opposition workers should be murdered, he asked. I fully remember how the head of one of our karyakarta was dismembered. There can be many reasons for provocation. There can be bad blood. But, in a civilized society where we talk of human rights, can such a heinous crime be condoned? Not one, such instances are numerous here. The situation here in Uttar Pradesh is full of challenge. We have to accept it. We have to face it.

We have to revive the past glory of the Party in Uttar Pradesh. We have to take the party to the top once again. We have to make the party more effective. Friends, our road to Delhi passes through Lucknow. Therefore, we have first to smoothen our way in Lucknow itself. We have to take the Party back to its past position of strength. Times are changing in the country. New avenues are opening up. Change is in waiting for us. With mutual cooperation we have to ready ourselves for the new change. The effect of election results in Uttar Pradesh will not be confined to the State only. It will have wider implications elsewhere too.

At a time when the politics of the country has gone astray from its objectives, when values are being ignored, when common man’s welfare is being neglected, we have to change this situation. We have to stem the rot. I am speaking of UP because the session is being held here in UP. It is an indicator of the things to come in the future. It is not a fight for power. It is not a game of votes. It is the values of our life and the ideals of the nation, our duty towards the people, that is calling us to act. It is the need of the hour. It is time people of Uttar Pradesh appreciate the signal to change the course of events and ready the State for the purpose.