DHIRAJ NAYYAR: At this forum, some BJP leaders have complained that the Congress did not reach out to them during the last Lok Sabha on important issues, particularly the nuclear deal. Will you now take steps to reach out to the Opposition?

It will be our endeavour to see that such a perception, if it exists, does not persist any longer. However, if you look at the records of the 14th Lok Sabha, in the very first session, I had the chance to present the motion of thanks to the President after his address to the two Houses. I could not do that. Even as the Prime Minister was introducing the ministers to the House, which is a formal function, he was obstructed. So it’s wrong to say the government did not reach out to the BJP. The last time, I feel, the difference in the number of members between the BJP and Congress was small. The BJP thought that with the Shining India campaign, they had convinced the people to give them another term. They did not succeed. Perhaps they could not reconcile to that situation. This is the genesis of the relationship between the government and the Opposition in the last Lok Sabha. This time they understand the mandate of the people. Though we don’t have an absolute majority, the mandate of the people is quite clear. This has been appreciated and accepted by BJP. And that is the qualitative difference in their perception, between then and now.

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