During my six years in the PMO, two qualities of Atal Behari Vajpayee left a deep impress on me. He uses his words thoughtfully. Even his famous one-liners are the end-products of deep mental mining and refining. Secondly, I always felt that he has a sixth sense about events in politics.

In a poem he penned on his birthday in 1993, he wrote: ‘‘Mujhe door ka dikhayi deta hai/ Main deewar par likha padh sakta hoon/ Magar haath ki rekhayen nahin padhta (I cannot read the palm, but I can see distant events, I can read the writing on the wall).’’ Example: he had read the writing on the wall in the 2004 elections. Although most pollsters and BJP leaders were certain about his government’s return to power, Atalji had realised, several days before polling ended, that the outcome would be otherwise.

His sixth sense was again in evidence on Wednesday evening when NDA MPs marched to Rashtrapati Bhavan to protest against the UPA Government’s decision to close Parliament’s budget session in order to promulgate a save-Sonia ordinance. In the customary press briefing after the meeting with the President, L K Advani did what he is best at: he presented the opposition’s case with eloquence and controlled aggression.

Mid-way through the briefing, the former prime minister arrived, anguish writ large on his face. A reporter asked him: ‘‘Atalji, will the Government bring in an ordinance?’’ He reflected for a moment and replied, ‘‘Mujhe nahin lagta ki sarkar ordinance layegi (I don’t think so).’’ The reply surprised many, including myself, standing there. How can Atalji say this, when it was evident to one and all that an ordinance was on its way and Parliament’s sine die adjournment was meant only to pave the way? After a pause, he gave the second part of his reply: ‘‘Aur agar ordinance laayegi, to ordinance ke saath sarkar bhi chali jaayegi (And if the ordinance is indeed brought in, the Government too will go along with the ordinance).’’

... contd.