Friday, February 18 2005 14:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Alleging that the 'communal faces' of BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leaders had come to the fore in the wake of the CD controversy on Ayodhya involving former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) president Laloo Prasad today (Feb 18, 2005) said it had proved beyond doubt that Vajpayee was 'a communal man.'

"The CDs have once again brought into focus the communal faces of the BJP and Sangh Parivar. It has also vindicated my stand that Vajpayee is not a liberal but a communal man," Prasad told reporters while leaving for campaigning for the third and final phase of poll.

Reacting to the CDs, LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) president Ramvilas Paswan said, he had always maintained that there was 'a well-hatched conspiracy behind the demolition of the Babri mosque to which top BJP brass, including Vajpayee and L K Advani were a party.'

Brushing aside the controversy of the CDs containing footage of Vajpayee's speech a day before the mosque was demolished, NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Chief Ministerial candidate Nitish Kumar said, "No CDs are going to save Laloo and his party this time as people belonging to minority community have realised their mistakes and will teach Laloo a lesson for doing nothing for them during his party's 15-year rule."

"I don't know what will happen there tomorrow", former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is quoted as having said in Lucknow on December 5, 1992, a day before the disputed structure was demolished, according to a CD recently placed before the Liberhan Commission probing the incident.

As per details of the speeches recorded in the compact disc, which have been published in the latest issue of Hindi newsmagazine 'Outlook', Vajpayee purportedly said, "I do not know what will happen there (Ayodhya) tomorrow. I wanted to go to Ayodhya but I have been asked to return to Delhi."