Vajpayee’s rising above his party and Sangh Parivar was evident on several occasions—pursuing good relations with Pakistan and China and visiting the two countries as foreign minister in the Morarji Desai government. When he became the prime minister, he pursued the same policy. The launch of the rail and bus services between India and Pakistan, coupled with efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue, endeared him to Muslims. That is why even parties like the Telugu Desam, DMK and Trinamool Congress, which are very sensitive to Muslim sentiments, have invoked his name when they aligned with the BJP. Vajpayee is much less pointed when he attacks his rivals, which means there’s little resulting bitterness. Therefore, it is easier for him to deal with them. For example, one does not remember if he ever attacked Sonia Gandhi on the issue of foreign origin in the same manner as say Advani, Rajnath Singh, Pramod Mahajan, Sushma Swaraj or Uma Bharati did.

Admirers of the two stalwarts run shy of comparing the two leaders. ‘‘Surjeet has been a negotiator between the regional parties to stop BJP from coming to power even when the verdict was in our favour, as in 1998. Vajpayee built a genuine alternative to the Congress with his wide acceptability. The only comparison between the two is in age,’’ says Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP spokesperson. On the other hand, A .Vijayaraghavan, Lok Sabha member and long time comrade of Sujeet, says, ‘‘Surjeet made alliances of common principles—such as fighting the Congress or secularism. He did not deviate from the party policy or made compromises to attain power. But Vajpayee’s politics has all been only to gain and sustain power.’’

... contd.