English

ENGLISH PROJECT ONA BIOGRAPHY OF Mr. ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE

Hidayatullah National Law UniversityRaipur, ChhattisgarhSubmitted to:Mrs. Alka Mehta(Assistant Professor, English)Submitted by:Ayushi DwivediRoll No.-47Semester- II, Batch XIII, B.A.L.LB.(Hons.)Date of Submission: 05/24/2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS1. Certificate of Originality ........032. Acknowledgment.......................................................................043. Introduction.....054. Objectives...065. Research Methodology..........................................................................076. Life Sketch ...............09-117. Political Life.................................................................12-138. Premiership of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee ....................................14-169. Works....17-1810. Why Mr. Vajpayees Speech is relevant before the 2014 elections......19-2011. Mr. Vajpayee: A Robust Personality.........................21-2212. Conclusion.................................................................................2413. Bibliography/Webliography....25

1.Certificate of Originality

I hereby declare that the project work entitled A Biography of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee submitted to HNLU, Raipur, is record of an original work done by me under the able guidance of Mrs. Alka Mehta, Faculty Member, HNLU, Raipur.

AYUSHI DWIVEDIROLL NO. 47 SEM-II

2.Acknowledgements

Thanks to the Almighty who gave me the strength to accomplish the project with sheer hard work and honesty. This research venture has been made possible due to the generous co-operation of various persons. To list them all is not possible, even to repay them in words is beyond the domain of my lexicon.This project wouldnt have been possible without the help of my teacher Mrs. Alka Mehta, Faculty of English at HNLU, who had always been there at my side whenever I needed some help regarding any information. She has been my mentor in the truest sense of the term. The administration has also been kind enough to let me use their facilities for research work. I thank them for this.

AYUSHI DWIVEDIROLL NO. 47SEM II

3.IntroductionHe knows nothing; and he thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a political career. - George Bernard Shaw,Major BarbaraThe great philosopher Aristotle stated the bare truth when he said centuries ago that man is "a political animal". He and his equally famous disciple Plato strongly denounced politics. Plato went so far as to say: "O, men of Athens, if I was engaged in politics, I would have perished long ago and done no good either to you or to myself."Since then, however, politics has pervaded every sphere of life, and the number of politicians has grown beyond measure. There is politics everywhere, in government generally, in the administration, in schools, colleges, universities, art, literature, and even in sports and games.Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a highly respected veteran politician who had served as the Prime Minister of India in three non-consecutive terms. He was a member of the Indian Parliament for almost five decades; in fact he is the only parliamentarian who had been elected from four different states at different times, namely, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi. He made his foray into politics during the pre-independence era when he took part in the Quit India Movement which led to his arrest and imprisonment. A true patriot, he was one of the founding members of the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh, an Indian nationalist party. A multi-faceted personality, he is a very skilled poet with several published poems. Also well known is his love for his native language Hindihe was the first person to deliver a speech in Hindi at the U.N. General assembly. He is very famous for his oratory skills and held several prestigious positions in Indian politics before being elected the Prime minister. His first stint as the Prime Minister of India lasted for just 13 days. He was again sworn in for the second time after a couple of years. This time too, his government lasted for just over a year. His third stint as the Prime Minister was his most successful one and he served a full term of five years in this position. This project is an effort and a tribute to my ideal from the very beginning of my life, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. 4.Objectives(1).The main objective of this project to is to study and know about the life of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee.(2).Another main objective is to study the contributions that Mr. Vajpayee has made in the Indian Politics.(3).To find how the works and poems of Mr. Vajpayee are classic pieces and how they have a positive impact on the society.Focusing on these objectives I will try to explain A Biography of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee through research and study by the various resources and will try to bring the truth behind the curtain using the best of my capabilities.

5.Research Methodology:This project work is descriptive & analytical in approach. It is largely based on the analysis of the life, political career and works of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Books & other references as guided by faculty of English were primarily helpful for the completion of this project.

Haar nahin maanunga,Raar nayi thaanunga,Kaal ke kapaal par, likhta hoon, mitata hoon,Geet naya gata hoon.

I shall not accept defeat, I shall rebel. I leave my mark on time, I omit things & change them for the better. I am an ode to a new era.

-Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee

6.LIFE SKETCH

Born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to Shri Krishna Bihari Vajpayee and Smt. Krishna Devi, Shri Vajpayee brings with him a long parliamentary experience spanning over four decades. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1957. He was elected to the 5th, 6th and 7th Lok Sabha and again to the 10th, 11th 12th and 13th Lok Sabha and to Rajya Sabha in 1962 and 1986. In 2004, he was to Parliament from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh for the fifth time consecutively. He is the only parliamentarian elected from four different States at different times - UP, Gujarat, MP and Delhi. His legacy as Prime Minister is a rich one that is remembered and cherished even a decade after his term ended. It included the Pokhran nuclear tests, astute and wise economic policies that laid the foundations of the longest period of sustained growth in independent Indian history, massive infrastructure projects such as those related to development of national highways and the Golden Quadrilateral. Few Indian Prime Ministers have left such a dramatic impact on society.Educated at Victoria College (now Laxmibai College), Gwalior and DAV College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Vajpayee holds an M.A (Political Science) degree and has many literary, artistic and scientific accomplishments to his credit. He edited Rashtradharma (a Hindi monthly), Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly) and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun. His published works include "Meri Sansadiya Yatra" (in four volumes), "Meri Ikkyavan Kavitayen", "Sankalp Kaal", "Shakti-se-Shanti", "Four Decades in Parliament" (speeches in three volumes), 1957-95, "Lok Sabha Mein Atalji" (a collection of speeches); Mrityu Ya Hatya", "Amar Balidan", "Kaidi Kaviraj Ki Kundalian" (a collection of poems written in jail during Emergency); "New Dimensions of India's Foreign Policy" (a collection of speeches delivered as External Affairs Minister during 1977-79); "Jan Sangh Aur Mussalman"; "Sansad Mein Teen Dashak" (Hindi) (speeches in Parliament, 1957-1992, three volumes); and "Amar Aag Hai" (a collection of poems, 1994).Shri Vajpayee has participated in various social and cultural activities. He has been a Member of the National Integration Council since 1961. Some of his other associations include -(i) President, All India Station Masters and Assistant Station Masters Association (1965-70);(ii) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Smarak Samiti (1968-84);(iii) Deen Dayal Dham, Farah, Mathura, U.P; and(iv) Janmabhomi Smarak Samiti, 1969 onwards.Founder-member of the erstwhile Jana Sangh (1951), President, Bharatiya Jana Sangh (1968-1973), leader of the Jana Sangh parliamentary party (1955-1977) and a founder-member of the Janata Party (1977-1980), Shri Vajpayee was President, BJP (1980-1986) and the leader of BJP parliamentary party during 1980-1984, 1986 and 1993-1996. He was Leader of the Opposition throughout the term of the 11th Lok Sabha. Earlier, he was India's External Affairs Minister in the Morarji Desai Government from March 24, 1977 ,to July 28, 1979.Widely respected within the country and abroad as a statesman of the genre of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Shri Vajpayee's 1998-99 stint as Prime Minister has been characterised as 'one year of courage of conviction'. It was during this period that India entered a select group of nations following a series of successful nuclear tests at Pokhran in May 1998. The bus journey to Pakistan in February 1999 was widely acclaimed for starting a new era of negotiations to resolve the outstanding problems of the sub-continent. India's honesty made an impact on the world community. Later, when this gesture of friendship turned out to be a betrayal of faith in Kargil, Shri Vajpayee was also hailed for his successful handling of the situation in repulsing back the intruders from the Indian soil.It was during Shri Vajpayee's 1998-99 tenure that despite a global recession, India achieved 5.8 per cent GDP growth, which was higher than the previous year. Higher agricultural production and increase in foreign exchange reserves during this period were indicative of a forward-looking economy responding to the needs of the people. "We must grow faster. We simply have no other alternative" has been Shri Vajpayee's slogan focusing particularly on economic empowerment of the rural poor. The bold decisions taken by his Government for strengthening rural economy, building a strong infrastructure and revitalising human development programmes, fully demonstrated his Government's commitment to a strong and self-reliant nation to meet the challenges of the next millennium to make India an economic power in the 21st century. Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 52nd Independence Day, he had said, "I have a vision of India: an India free of hunger and fear, an India free of illiteracy and want[footnoteRef:2]." [2: "The Leading Indian Politician Site on the Net". indianpoliticians.com. Retrieved 2014-03-24.]

Shri Vajpayee has served on a number of important Committees of Parliament. He was Chairman, Committee on Government Assurances (1966-67); Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (1967-70); Member, General Purposes Committee (1986); Member, House Committee and Member, Business Advisory Committee, Rajya Sabha (1988-90); Chairman, Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha (1990-91); Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, Lok Sabha (1991-93); Chairman, Standing Committee on External Affairs (1993-96).Shri Vajpayee participated in the freedom struggle and went to jail in 1942. He was detained during Emergency in 1975-77[footnoteRef:3]. [3: Chatterjee, Mannini. V. K. Ramachandran. "Vajpayee and the Quit India movement".Frontline. 720 February 1998. Retrieved 11 March 2014]

Widely travelled, Shri Vajpayee has been taking a keen interest in international affairs, uplift of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, women and child welfare. Some of his travels abroad include visits such as - Member, Parliamentary Goodwill Mission to East Africa, 1965; Parliamentary Delegation to Australia, 1967; European Parliament, 1983; Canada, 1987; Indian delegation to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meetings held in Canada, 1966 and 1994, Zambia, 1980, Isle of Man 1984, Indian delegation to Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Japan, 1974; Sri Lanka, 1975; Switzerland, 1984; Indian Delegation to the UN General Assembly, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994; Leader, Indian Delegation to the Human Rights Commission Conference, Geneva, 1993[footnoteRef:4]. [4: "Prime Minister of India Bio-Data". Parliamentofindia.nic.in. Retrieved 2014-03-24.]

Shri Vajpayee was conferred Padma Vibhushan in 1992 in recognition of his services to the nation. He was also conferred the Lokmanya Tilak Puruskar and the Bharat Ratna Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant Award for the Best Parliamentarian, both in 1994. Earlier, the Kanpur University honoured him with an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in 1993.Well known and respected for his love for poetry and as an eloquent speaker, Shri Vajpayee is known to be a voracious reader. He is fond of Indian music and dance. 7. POLITICAL LIFEVajpayee's first exposure to politics was in August 1942, when he and his elder brother Prem were arrested for 23 days during the Quit India movement, when he was released only after giving a written undertaking, expressly declaring not to participate in any of the anti-British struggle and naming the underground leaders, leading the 'Quit India Movement' .In 1951, he was deputed to work for the newly formed Bharatiya Jana Sangh, a right-wing political party associated with the RSS that espoused the Hindu cause. He soon became a follower and aide of party leader Syama Prasad Mookerjee. In 1954, Vajpayee was with Mookerjee when he went on a fast-unto-death in Kashmir to protest against perceived inferior treatment of non-Kashmiri Indian visitors to the state. Mookerjee died in prison during this strike. In 1957, Vajpayee was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament, from Balrampur. There, his oratorial skills so impressed Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that he predicted that Vajpayee would someday become India's Prime Minister.By virtue of his oratorical and organizational skills, he became the face of the Jana Sangh. After the tragic death of Deendayal Upadhyaya, the mantle of the leadership of Jana Sangh fell on the shoulders of a young Vajpayee. He became the national president of the Jana Sangh in 1968 and, along with Nanaji Deshmukh, Balraj Madhok and Lal Krishna Advani, led the Jana Sangh to national prominence.Foreign Minister Vajpayee (far right) and Prime Minister Morarji Desai (third from right, front row) with US President Jimmy Carter during his 1978 visit to India.From 1975 to 1977, Vajpayee was arrested along with several other opposition leaders during the Internal Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of the Indian National Congress party. In 1977, heeding the call of social reformer Jayaprakash Narayan for all the opposition parties to unite against the Congress, Vajpayee merged the Jana Sangh into the newly formed grand-alliance, the Janata Party.Following Janata's victory in the 1977 general elections, he became the Minister of External Affairs in Prime Minister Morarji Desai's cabinet. As foreign minister, that year Vajpayee became the first person to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi. By the time the Janata government crumbled in 1979, Vajpayee had established himself as an experienced statesman and a respected political leader.The Janata Party was dissolved soon after Morarji Desai resigned as Prime Minister in 1979. The Jana Sangh had devoted its political organisation to sustain the coalition and was left exhausted by the internecine political wars within the Janata Party.Vajpayee joined many of his Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh colleagues, particularly his long-time friends Lal Krishna Advani and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, to form the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980. He became the BJP's first President. He emerged as a strong critic of the Congress (I) government that followed the Janata government[footnoteRef:5]. [5: "India Matters". Indiamatters.in. Retrieved 2014-03-24]

While the BJP opposed the Sikh militancy that was rising in the state of Punjab, it also blamed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for her divisive and corrupt politics that fostered such militancy at the expense of national unity and integrity. The BJP did not support Operation Blue Star and strongly protested against the violence towards Sikhs in Delhi that broke out in 1984 following the assassination of Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards. The BJP was left with only two parliamentary seats in the 1984 elections. During this period, Vajpayee remained at the centre-stage as party President and Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament.The BJP became the political voice of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Movement, which was led by activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the RSS, and which sought to build a temple dedicated to Lord Rama in Ayodhya[footnoteRef:6]. [6: Gwynne Dyer (23 April 2002)."Vajpayee: dow a slippery slope".Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 26 March 2014]

Victory in the assembly elections in Gujarat and Maharashtra in March 1995, and a good performance in the elections to the Karnataka assembly in December 1994, propelled the BJP to greater political prominence. During a BJP conference in Mumbai in November 1995, BJP President L.K. Advani declared that Vajpayee would become the Prime Minister of India[footnoteRef:7]. The BJP won in the May 1996 parliamentary elections. In December 2005, Vajpayee announced his retirement from active politics, declaring that he would not contest in the next general election. [7: Annadurai & Hindi. The Hindu (2002-07-09). Retrieved on 2014-03-16]

8. PREMIERSHIP OF Mr. ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEEAtal Bihari Vajpayee was twice premier of India, first from 16 May to 1 June 1996, and then from 19 March 1998 to 22 May 2004. A member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vaypayee served as the eleventh Prime Minister of India. He headed the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the Indian Parliament, and became the first Prime Minister unaffiliated with the Indian National Congress to complete a full five-year term in office.FORMATION OF GOVERNMENTAfter the 1996 general election, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament. Vajpayee was invited by President Shankar Dayal Sharma to form a government, but after 13 days in office, proved unable to muster a governing majority and resigned[footnoteRef:8]. He was replaced by H. D. Dewe Gowda, leader of the United Front (UF) coalition, and became the Leader of the Opposition. [8: Ornit Shani (2007).Communalism, Caste and Hindu Nationalism: The Violence in Gujarat.Cambridge University Press. p.172]

The United Front was only able to sustain a majority in Parliament until 1998, resigning after the Indian National Congress withdrew its support. In the Indian general election, 1998 the BJP again emerged as the single-largest party, but was able to assemble a governing coalition called the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Other constituents of the NDA included the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Bahujan Samaj Party, Shiv Sena, Shiromani Akali Dal, National Conference (NC) and the Trinamool Congress (TC), amongst others[footnoteRef:9]. [9: "Terrorists attack Parliament; five intruders, six cops killed". 2006.Rediff.com. Rediff India. 13 March 2014]

By early 1999, the NDA government lost its majority after the AIADMK withdrew its support. President Kocheril Raman Narayanan dissolved the Parliament and called fresh elections the third in two years. Public anger against smaller parties that jeopardised the NDA coalition and the wave of support for the Vajpayee government in the aftermath of the Kargil War gave the BJP a larger presence in the Lok Sabha. The NDA won a decisive majority with the support of new constituents such as the Janata Dal (United) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

ECONOMIC POLICYThe Vajpayee government expanded the process of economic liberalisation initiated by the P.V. Narasimha Rao government (19911996). His government initiated the privatisation of most state corporations, including the Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. His government also began the establishment of special export processing zones, Information Technology and Industrial Parks across the country to bolster industrial production and exports. In its third term (19992004), his government launched the National Highway Development Project, with the first phase being the Golden Quadrilateral. In 2003, the government launched the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Honouring of Non-Resident Indians) and initiated plans to establish an Overseas citizenship of India to enable NRIs to invest and do business freely in India[footnoteRef:10]. His government also expanded efforts to encourage foreign investment, especially from Europe and the United States. [10: Sudha Ramachandran (27 March 2002)."New Indian terror law strikes fear".Asia Times. Retrieved 12 July 2009]

FOREIGN POLICY:The Vajpayee government improved India's ties with the People's Republic of China, boosting trade and seeking the resolution of territorial disputes through dialogue. India also established strategic and military cooperation with Israel, with both nations establishing cooperation in fighting terrorism. In 2000, U.S. President Bill Clinton became the first American president to visit India since Jimmy Carter. The U.S. and India ended the Cold War-era distant relationship and expanded trade and cooperation on strategic issues. After the 11 September 2001 attacks, India provided much strategic assistance to the U.S. in its war against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.In 1999, Vajpayee personally travelled to Pakistan on the inaugural Delhi-Lahore Bus, which established a regular road link between the two countries for the first time since 1947. Vajpayee and the then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued the Lahore Declaration, which committed the two nations to resolve bilateral disputes through dialogue and concurrently boost trade. However, the Lahore summit's success was diminished by the outbreak of the Kargil War just months later. In 2001, Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf held the Agra summit, which failed to produce results and was overshadowed by the 2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff. In 2003, Vajpayee declared in the Indian Parliament that he was making his final initiative to make peace with Pakistan, and oversaw considerable improvement in relations and a ceasefire between Indian forces and militant groups in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.NATIONAL SECURITY:Kargil WarIn 1999, two months after the bilateral summit in Lahore, India discovered that Pakistani army disguised as terrorists had infiltrated through the Line of Control (LoC) into the state of Jammu and Kashmir with active Pakistani assistance and participation. In response, the Indian armed forces launched Operation Vijay to evict the infiltrators. By July, 1999 Indian forces had reclaimed territories on its side of the LoC. The Vajpayee government also established the Defence Intelligence Agency to provide better military intelligence and monitor India's border with Pakistan[footnoteRef:11]. [11: "Govt blames LeT for Parliament attack"]

Pokhran-II nuclear testsIn May, 1998 India conducted five underground nuclear tests Pokhran-II, following the Pokhran-I test of 1974. These tests established India as a nuclear weapons power, although it also resulted in the imposition of limited sanctions by the U.S., UK, Canada and other nations. By 2001, most of these sanctions had been lifted.TerrorismThe terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament building on 13 December 2001, conducted by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists led to the death of a dozen people (5 terrorists, 6 police and 1 civilian) and the 2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff. In response to these attacks and an escalation in terrorist attacks in other parts of India, the NDA government promulgated the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Although a tougher anti-terrorism law than TADA (1995), POTA was criticised as compromising civil liberties and encouraging profiling of the Indian Muslim community. As the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, was controlled by opposition parties, the Vajpayee government called a historic joint session of both houses of the Indian Parliament in order to enact POTA into law. 9. WORKS Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a famous Hindi poet and an orator known for his spellbinding eloquence. Vajpayee's poetry is marked by nationalistic fervor and human values. He believes that poetry should awaken a sense of duty and social responsibility in people. He is inspired by Hindu mythology and his poetry is rich in religious symbolism. Simple in language and imagery, his poems extol the heritage, history and destiny of India. Ideas of cultural nationalism inform his vision of India. According to Bhagwat S. Goyal, the man who translated Vajpayee's poems into English, Vajpayee believes that "Politics and literature do not belong in separate compartments. Rather they enrich and refine each other. When a litterateur gets involved in politics, his politics gets more refined. Similarly if a politician has a literary background he cannot ignore human feelings and emotions[footnoteRef:12]." [12: Sanjay Ruparelia (Apr 2006). "Rethinking Institutional Theories of Political Moderation: The Case of Hindu Nationalism in India, 19962004".Comparative Politics38(3): 317336.]

Social and political National integration. (1961). Dynamics of an open society. (1977). New Dimensions of India's Foreign Policy. (1979). Heal the wounds: Vajpayee's appeal on Assam tragedy to the parliament. (1983). When will atrocities on Harijans stop?: A.B. Vajpayee's speech in Rajya Sabha. (1988). Kucha lekha, kucha bhashana. (1996

Autobiography Atal Bihari Vaj mem tina dasaka. (1992). Pradhanamantri Atala Bihari Vajapeyi, chune hue bhashana. (2000). Values, vision & verses of Vajpayee: India's man of destiny. (2001). India's foreign policy: New dimensions. (1977). Assam problem: Repression no solution. (1981).

Poetry Twenty-One Poems. (2003). Kya khoya kya paya: Atal Bihari Vajapeyi, vyaktitva aura kavitaem Meri ikyavana kavitaem. (1995). Meri ikyavana kavitaem (Hindi Edition). (1995). Sreshtha kabita. (1997). Nayi Disha an album withJagjit Singh(1999) Samvedna an album withJagjit Singh(2002)

Speeches Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, selected speeches. President's addresses, 19801986. (2000). Presidential address. (1986). Presidential address: Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha session, Bhagalpur (Bihar), 5 6 & 7 May 1972. . Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pokhran

1o. Why Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 1996 speech is relevant before the 2014 elections

Among the many things Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be remembered for is his skill as an orator. For me, his most riveting speech was the one he delivered on the floor of the Lok Sabha in 1996 during the confidence vote of his 13-day-old BJP government when it was on the verge of collapse. Vajpayees speech that day stands out for multiple reasons. It was the first time a major political speech in parliament had the attention of the entire nation as it was telecast live on Doordarshan. It was the beginning of an era where mass politics converged with mass communication to shape public opinion.The master politician that Vajpayee was, he turned the negativity in parliament during the debate on the confidence motion to his advantage as he sought to win the confidence of the people. A poignant moment was when Vajpayee recounted his decades of experience in public service as he sought to counter his critics:I have spent decades doing this, but today I have been at the receiving end of much personal criticism... I thank the mere four parties that stood by me, including the Shiv Sena and the Akali Dal, despite everyone else ganging up against us... I have been accused that I am craving for power and that my actions are a result of my craving for power... If the people have given my party the highest number of seats should I shy away from staking a claim for power... Should I run away from the battlefield to betray the confidence reposed by the people in making us the single largest party...?The question Vajpayee posed that day to the Lok Sabha and to the nation at large assumes relevance today as the 2014 Lok Sabha elections loom closer. The BJP is once again in the pole position to emerge as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha, going by the projections of most opinion polls.It is instructive to note the arguments Vajpayee makes in defence of the first-past-the-post electoral system to make his case for why he attempted to form a government though he was short on numbers.I am being asked how many percentage votes did you get but the Westminister method we have adopted, we dont look at percentage of votes, we look at seats, you cant have it both ways... It has happened many times that a party that has not won a plurality of votes but has won more seats... We have to only go by the number of seats and not by the percentage votes, we dont count negative votes in our parliamentary system... How can you say the mandate is against us, when we were not even a player in many states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra, and the fight was between those of you who have now gotten together to oppose us...In political terms, the portion of the speech most relevant to the present political debate was the political opportunism of the Congress, the Left parties and the regional parties, which came together to stop the BJP and Atal Bihari Vajpayee at all costs, even going to the extent of labelling Vajpayee Hitler.Say clearly and directly that you will not let me assume power at any cost... The bogey of Hitler is being raised in this House, I am being labelled fascist... I have been at this for four decades, I have fought this fight democratically, contesting elections and I am being accused of adopting fascist methods... This is politics of negativism, this is reactionary politics, this is politics to stop us at any cost by making untouchables of us this is not healthy politics...Reacting to Vajpayees remarks, Somnath Chatterjee of the CPI-M stood up and screamed, You are all alone, you stand all isolated.It was from that grand isolation that Vajpayee went on to earn the mandate of the nation in two successive Lok Sabha elections with a BJP-led NDA government in Delhi.As we mark Atal Bihari Vajpayees 89th birthday, his speech from 1996 ought to be a reminder to those politically opposed to the BJP that negativism and dishonest political labelling have no place in our political process and will once again be rejected by the voters of India in 2014 as they did in the 1990s. 11. Mr. Vajpayee: A Robust Personality Among all the Indian politicians, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is my lifetime idol. He is different from all the other politicians for the following reasons:1) Vajpayee was bigger than the party and politicsIt is unarguably accepted that Atalji was a man of immense moral fibre, integrity and truthfulness, who put his duty and commitment towards his nation above anything else. It shows in the fact that he was respected by his political rivals as much as he was in his party and cadre. The BJP may or may not have enjoyed a stronghold at that point of time in India, but Vajpayee certainly had a place as a person in everybodys hearts.2) Vajpayee was never hungry for powerAtalji was never behind power unlike his other political rivals, but always wanted a strong and decisive government and governance system. He ( apart from Indira Gandhi) has a distinction of taking the oath of Prime Minister thrice, once for 13 days followed by 13 months and then for a full term of 5 years ( 1999-2004). However, his government did not try to lobby during the vote of confidence or when it was overthrown, as we know it lost the motion by one vote which could have easily been bought. Such was the honesty and truthfulness of this man.3) A brilliant administrator and oratorVajpayee was a brilliant administrator who efficiently ruled while he was in the office. The economy was thriving at 8-8.5% stably in his regime. The NDA regime from 1998-2004 saw the birth of a number of innovative projects and schemes which even have an impact today the Golden Quadrilateral, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the setting up of NHAI, the setting up of a separate department for the development of North-Eastern India, the birth of the POTA act (which the incumbent government removed on coming to power) and so on. Vajpayeeji had a way of connecting to the crowd by his charisma and oratory skills.

4) Operation Vijay and other peace operations with PakistanDuring his tenure as PM, Vajpayee was always on the effort to be in a peaceful relationship with Pakistan by various means such asThe Lahore Bus Yatra,The Agra Summit, increasing trade links and other projects etc.. But on the other hand, he never put India down as a weak partner which he proved through his strong stand during the Kargil Insurgency operation during 1999 under the nameOperation Vijaythat successfully countered the intruders who had breached the line of control (LOC).5) His immense contribution to Hindi LiteratureVajpayee, a charismatic leader and orator was first a poet at heart. His numerous contributions to Hindi literature in the form of his poems cannot be forgotten as they carry wonderful messages about life. His poems on India are an unforgettable feather in the cap of Hindi literature. Few of his notable works includeUnchaai, Bharat ki Kavita, Kya Khoya kya Payaand so on.6) The unique personalityVajpayeeji, above all, was a gentleman who always had time for people and listened to their grievances even at his residence; a man who never cared for personal achievements through his actions, a leader who respected his opposition as much as he respected his ruling alliances. He was accepted globally as a leader. In short, he was a perfect blend of leader, poet, orator, and human being.

Kya khoya kya paaya jag mein Milte aur bichadte mag mein Mujhe kisi se nahin shikaayat Taddapi chhala gaya pag-pag mein Ek drishti biti par dale Yaadon ki potali tatole Prithwi laakhon warsh puraani Jeewan ek anant kahaniPar tan ki apni seemaayen Taddapi sau shardon ki vaani Itna kaafi hai antim dastak Par khud darwaajaa khole Janm-maran ka avirat fera Jeewan banzaron ka Dera Aaj yahan kal kahan kuch hai Kaun jaanta kidhar savera Andhiyara aakaash aseemiit Praanon ke pankhon ko taule Apne hi man mein kuch bole -Mr. Vajpayee12. CONCLUSION

The man is loved for his qualities of head and heart, his poetry, his integrity boldness, patriotism, qualities of forget and forgive, and the principle of consensus. He is one of the few who can brave the worst travails in life and political career, and came out unscathed.At the same time he also made it clear Indias stand on nuclear weapons that she wanted peace, harmony and has no intention of becoming a nuclear power.Perhaps Mr. Vajpayee innate love for arts, literature and culture has made him totally different breed of politician, a true gentleman with deep compassion and integrity he has shown that to gain popularity, it is not necessary to stoop to cheap popular gimmicks.He has taken ups and downs of his political life with great equanimity and bears malice towards none. He is among the very few politicians who know how to respect the viewpoint of their opponents and at the same time, expose his rivals to the full view of the public without leaving any trail of bitterness. He is truly a parliamentarian par excellence.Besides being a politician he is an excellent poet and writer. His poems are patriotic carrying message of love, peace harmony and goodwill.True to his name, Atalji is an eminent national leader, an erudite politician, a selfless social worker, forceful orator, poet, journalist and indeed a multifaceted personality. He is ideal for the masses.

13.BIBLIOGRAPHY/WEBLIOGRAPHYi. Pradhanamantri Atal Bihari Vajapayee, chune hue bhashana. (2000).ii. Atal Bihari Vajpayee : Prime Minister of India, Sujata K. Dassiii. www.legallyindia.comiv. India Today-a times group weekly magazinev. Newspapers-The Hindu, DainikBhaskar.vi. www.preservarticles.comvii. www.jstor.org

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