•Shekhar Gupta: How is it headless? The BJP is heading it.

Ram Vilas Paswan: The BJP has no future , the BJP is disintegrating, it is heading towards its demise, the BJD has also deserted it. The plus point that has been there so far that no UPA constituent has deserted it but the NDA allies are deserting the BJP . Moreover, in the UPA, particularly the Congress, there is no bickering among the leadership . It is unified under Soniaji’s leadership who takes the decisions. However, there is no leader in the BJP after Atalji . There is Advaniji but everyone is raring to undercut his leadership, like yesterday Jaitleyji boycotted the meeting . Sometimes Bhairon Singh Shekhawat is going against the partyline, Kalyan Singh had left the party . Therefore the public perception, which is the biggest factor for a party, of the BJP, the perception that people had of the party a year ago is not there.

•Shekhar Gupta: But the BJP has strong leadership in the states.

Ram Vilas Paswan: But right now the fight is for the Centre.

•Shekhar Gupta: But you don’t think the state leadership will be able to procure votes for the party? They also have their votebank.

Ram Vilas Paswan: They will be able to get votes but I think there’s a difference between getting votes and procuring enough votes to be in a position to form a government.

•Shekhar Gupta: You have worked with the BJP , you were in the Vajpayee cabinet,where did you think the party went wrong?

... contd.