Tehelka -- Delayed response dented our image, says Advani

Tehelka -- Delayed response dented our image, says Advani
AGENCIES

NEW DELHI, MARCH 28: Union Home Minister L K Advani tonight said that the delay in responding to the Tehelka expose had ``dented'' the government's image.

``The 48-hour delay was tactically and strategically wrong and emphasis on the conspiracy angle from position of power was a mistake. It would have suited if we were in the Opposition,'' Advani told Aaj Tak in an interview.

Asked what he thought in retrospect NDA partners and the government should have done after the Tehelka tapes were released, Advani said on the BJP's part, its president Bangaru Laxman resigned the same evening. ``It would have been better had the president of an NDA ally (Samata party) followed suit,'' he said.

On Mamata Banerjee walking out of the NDA, Advani said that she had probably made up her mind earlier to quit the coalition and found the Tehelka tapes the occasion to sever ties.

On whether the party would become an ``untouchable once again,'' after the exit of the Trinamool Congress and the PMK from the alliance, the Home Minister said: ``There is no no threat to the coalition now.''

On the resignation of George Fernandes as Defence minister, Advani said soon after the airing of the secretly filmed videotapes, Fernandes had offered to step down although the films did not not have anything involving him.

``At that time, we were of the view that Fernandes should not not quit but he insisted on stepping down,'' he said.