Addressing the BJP national council for the first time after being anointed the party’s prime ministerial candidate, L K Advani outlined his vision and strategy while subtly reminding the audience that it was he who steered the saffron party’s ride to power.

Advani made an effort to acknowledge and praise BJP president Rajnath Singh, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, senior leaders Murli Manohar Joshi and Bangaru Laxman. He described Modi as the “truly secular leader”, took potshots at “some parties in India... guided by foreign-born ideologies and foreign-born leadership”, termed UPA “failed and worthless”, and declared “NDA can indeed win a majority”.

“I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the party for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading the BJP in the next parliamentary elections,” said Advani, but did not forget to add between the lines that it was a well-deserved responsibility. He recalled that his first Rath Yatra altered the secular-communal debate in the country. He also reminded the gathering that he had invited Samata Party leaders to the party national council in 1995, which was the first tangible move towards the formation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

“I am more than 80 years old and have spent six decades as an active politician,” said Advani, recalling his struggles and successes, most significantly the jail term during the Emergency. He said from its position of winning two seats in 1984, the BJP has consistently grown and has been central to the process of an evolving bipolar coalition system. “After the 1984 results, a close friend asked me why run this party at all. But we stayed our course,” he said.

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