New Delhi: A day after Atal Bihari Vajpayee regretted attacks by his colleagues on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on the question of foreign origin, party general secretary Pramod Mahajan today (Apr 16, 2004) said that the Prime Minister had the "final" say in the matter.

"The Prime Minister's opinion in this matter is final and I would not like to comment more on it," Mahajan said after flagging off four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) video vans, which would tour Uttar Pradesh.

He, however, said Vajpayee had only suggested that personal attacks on Gandhi should be stopped, but the foreign origin issue should be debated at the national level.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...
Political Parties in India

On Vajpayee's statement that Samajwadi Party (SP) was "ideologically" close to the BJP, Mahajan said there was no "scope for friendship" with SP.

He said SP was BJP's main opponent in 50-55 seats in UP, followed by BSP in 10-15 seats and Congress in seven to eight seats.

"So where is the scope for friendship with SP?" he asked.

Asked who would be Vajpayee's successor in the party, Mahajan said, "Since he has not disclosed the name, how can I do so? I am sure the Prime Minister must have told his successor."

Mahajan played down last week's stampede in Lucknow in which 21 women and a child were killed, saying it was "an accident".

"Except for Congress, some newspapers and some TV channels, everyone else believes it was an accident," he said.

Mahajan claimed UP BJP leader Lalji Tandon, during whose birthday celebration the stampede took place, was never Vajpayee's election agent.

"Both in 1998 and 1999 elections, Vajpayee's election agent was Shiv Kumar," he said.

Asked about the likelihood of Ram Jethmalani stepping down from the election fray after Vajpayee's appeal to him, Mahajan said, "I am sure he is capable of taking his own decision."

The four video vans flagged off today would tour UP villages and towns showing messages by Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu, he said.

"Speeches by UP BJP leaders Kalyan Singh, Rajnath Singh and Kalraj Mishra would also be shown," he said.

Mahajan said new television advertisements prepared by BJP would soon be on the air.

Some of the advertisements were also previewed for media persons. Take-offs on 'Devdas' and the court of Yamraj, the God of Death, they talk only of basic development issues.