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NEW DELHI: Less than a five-minute drive from the Ashoka Road headquarters of BJP, where the old guard is losing ground to the new, <keyword id="47100" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword> sits quietly in a wheelchair in his SPG-guarded Krishna Menon Marg bungalow watching snatches of television and reading newspaper headlines. 
 The master orator, who was silenced by a stroke in 2009, cannot grasp either the small print or the big picture of what's happening within the party he nurtured. The three-time <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> — last between 1999 and 2004 — bid adieu to active politics almost a decade ago. Now, as Modi — whom he'd wanted removed as Gujarat <keyword id="5269" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Chief-Minister">chief minister</keyword> after the Godhra riots of 2002 — tightens his hold over BJP, some of his close friends and followers are feeling slighted or pushed to the wall. 
 Unlike the good old days, no one comes calling on him with complaints about the party or to listen to his poetry. The only regular visitors are N M Ghatate, Vajpayee's friend of nearly six decades, L K Advani and B C Khanduri (the general-turned-politician who was chief minister of <keyword id="44522" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword>), who come to sit by his side or ask daughter Namita about his health. 
 Ghatate who visits him almost every week, sometimes even twice, says, "Prime Minister <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword> makes regular inquiries about his health and never misses wishing Vajpayeeji personally on his birthday." The two, Ghatate says, have an old association. Ghatate remembers how then PM PV <keyword id="6358441" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Narasimha-Rao">Narasimha Rao</keyword> called Vajpayee to complain that his <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Finance-minister">finance minister</keyword> Manmohan Singh had taken criticism of his budget by the opposition to heart and had offered to resign. 
 During a career spent mostly in opposition, Vajpayee had criticized everyone, from <keyword id="6383869" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Nehru">Nehru</keyword> to his daughter <keyword id="5513" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Indira">Indira</keyword>, but never realized it could hurt someone so much. Ghatate says Vajpayee immediately called Singh and told him not to take such comments to heart as they were meant to score political points. The Rao government was saved an embarrassment, and a new friendship was forged. 
 Ghatate says Vajpayee is still mentally alert. "But the stroke he suffered does not let him speak." Till then, he'd kept himself busy with books and writing. Within two months of the 2004 electoral defeat, he wrote a four-page article on the successful NDA coalition experiment and how even <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> had to fall in line; he argued that coalitions were here to stay. 
 
A better part of Vajpayee's day, Ghatate says, is spent with physiotherapists, doctors and nurses. "I go there and just watch him or talk to family members. He understands everything but cannot have a conversation," he says. Vajpayee's favourite food — Chinese and prawns — is now served only in small portions. 
 
 
 Advani, who was <keyword id="230854" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="deputy-PM">deputy PM</keyword> in the last NDA government, is reported to have wistfully told some people that Vajpayee would consult him on "everything". When asked if BJP leaders still asked him for advice, he is believed to have replied, cryptically, "When they need to." 
 
For Ghatate, who first met him in the 1950s, the sight of the silent statesman is heart-rending. Vajpayee, who had known Ghatate's father, Babasaheb Ghatate, a senior Hindu Mahasabha leader, took the young law student under his wing in Delhi and treated him like a younger brother. 
 
Of all the things that the protracted illness has taken away, Ghatate misses Vajpayee's sense of humour the most. When Ghatate gave him the news of the death of JN Dixit, Manmohan Singh's first national security advisor, Vajpayee said, "He was a good man. His problem was he used to work hard and worry a lot about the consequences." Ghatate pointed out Vajpayee's NSA and Dixit's predecessor Brajesh Mishra was also hard working, to which Vajpayee retorted with a mischievous smile, "Yes, Brajesh too was hard working, but then I had to worry about the consequences," Ghatate recounted this to Mishra and the two had a good laugh. 
 
Ghatate has been busy compiling Vajpayee's jokes and witticisms into a book. He has so far collected about 80; he knows there are many more out there.

A Peek Into The Life Atal Bihari Vajpayee Now Leads

On August 16th, a day after India’s 71st Independence Day, Atal Bihari <keyword id="40921" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vajpayee">Vajpayee</keyword>, the former Prime Minister, passed away in New Delhi at the age of 93. Vajpayee led the central government from 1998 to 2004, and till date is the only Indian Prime Minister from a party other than the Congress to complete a full term. The former <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> leader is set to be joined in this regard by current PM Narendra Modi, when the latter completes his term in May next year. Vajpayee has long been credited with moderating the BJP’s political position with his centrist <keyword id="35497" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="policies">policies</keyword> and socioeconomic reforms, thereby offering voters a viable national alternative to the Congress. A nine-time member of the Lok Sabha and two-time Rajya Sabha MP, he leaves a lasting legacy, and will be remembered for a slew of progressive and bold policies. Here are five of them:- Privatisation Vajpayee made privatisation a key component of his economic agenda when he set up the disinvestment ministry in 1999. Over the course of his tenure as PM, he oversaw the divestment of government holdings in more than 30 non-strategic public-sector companies such as VSNL, Maruti, Hindustan Zinc and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. What makes this policy all the more impressive is that Vajpayee had to overcome a considerable amount of opposition, not only from rival parties but from within his own Cabinet to implement it. Nuclearisation In May 1998, a month after his government came to power, Vajpayee ordered the commencement of five nuclear tests in Rajasthan’s Pokhran district. The move, which signalled India’s nuclear ambitions, drew the ire of Western powers, but it also highlighted India’s ability to defend itself from its neighbour Pakistan, which was building its own nuclear capability at the time. He always maintained that India would not use nuclear weapons first, stating that they would never be “weapons of aggression”. <keyword id="6354776" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telecom">Telecom</keyword> Upon his death, Vajpayee was hailed as “the father of modern telecom in India” by leaders in the industry. Under his National Telecom policy, which was introduced in 1999, Vajpayee opened up the sector and implemented a number of structural reforms such as making mobile service providers offer services on a revenue share basis as opposed to a fixed-fee arrangement. This led to a reduction in call rates, a dramatic surge in mobile subscribers and encouraged competition among telecom operators. Roads and infrastructure While Vajpayee was prime minister, he launched a number of massive infrastructure projects to develop India’s roads and railway network. His government approved and funded the operations of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, which completed the first phase of the Delhi Metro in 2006. He also championed the Golden Quadrilateral scheme, a project to link all four of India’s major urban centers - Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata - by highways. Most importantly, though, was his Pradhanmantri Gramin Sadak Yojna scheme to improve road connectivity in India’s rural regions. <keyword id="45865" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indo-Pak">Indo-Pak</keyword> relations and Kargil Vajpayee made a number of steps to cement ties with Pakistan, such as the establishment of the Delhi-Lahore bus service in February 1999. He took the bus to Lahore and met with Nawaz Sharif, who was the leader of Pakistan at the time. Their meeting culminated in the signing of the Lahore Treaty, which outlined the country’s plans to steer clear of nuclear warfare. The goodwill was shortlived, however. A full-scale war took place in Kargil the following June. In July 2001, Vajpayee pushed for a peace summit with his new Pakistani counterpart, Pervez Musharraf in Agra. An agreement never materialised over the course of the summit, but not for his lack of trying.

Here are 5 policies that former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be remembered for

Filmmakers <keyword id="3162130" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vinod-bhanushali" source="Orion">Vinod Bhanushali</keyword> and <keyword id="6354782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sandeep-singh" source="Orion">Sandeep Singh</keyword> have come together to bring on-screen the life of late Prime Minister <keyword id="47100" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="atal-bihari-vajpayee" source="Orion">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword>. The biopic is titled 'Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahoon, Yeh Desh Rehna Chahiye - ATAL'. The film is an adaptation of the book 'The Untold Vajpayee: Politician and Paradox' by renowned author Ullekh N.P. Talking about the film, Vinod said, "I have been a great fan of Atalji all my life. A born leader, a statesman par excellence, a visionary. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji was all the above. His contribution to our nation-building is unparalleled, and it is our great honour that Bhanushali Studios Ltd is bringing his legacy to the silver screen." Adding to that Sandeep Singh shared, "Being a filmmaker, I feel that cinema is the best medium to communicate such untold stories, that will unveil not only his political ideologies, but his humane and poetic aspects, that made him the most loved leader of the opposition as well as India's most progressive Prime Minister." The makers, who are scouting for the actor to portray the role of Atalji, will soon announce the actor and director of the film. Scheduled to go on floors in early 2023, the film will be released on Christmas 2023, which marks the 99th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. 'Atal' is presented by Bhanushali Studios Limited and Legend Studios, and is produced by Vinod Bhanushali, Sandeep Singh, Sam Khan, Kamlesh Bhanushali and Vishal Gurnani, and co-produced by Juhi Parekh Mehta, Zeeshan Ahmad and Shivv Sharma. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/education/news/coaching-classes-and-edtechs-make-the-most-false-claims/articleshow/92518895.cms">Parents beware: Coaching classes and edtechs make the most false claims</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/realme-techlife-watch-r100-review/articleshow/92515922.cms">Realme TechLife Watch R100 review – decent performance with some room for improvement</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/paytm-is-on-the-cusp-of-a-cup-and-holder-breakout-explaining-the-rally/articleshow/92517971.cms">Paytm is on the cusp of a ‘cup and holder breakout’ — explaining the rally</a>

Atal Bihari Vajpayee's biopic is on the works based on the book, The Untold Vajpayee

The man whom India’s first <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6360386" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jawaharlal-Nehru">Jawaharlal Nehru</keyword> prophesied to become the Prime Minister of India one day, the man whom the then Prime Minister <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword> called the “Bheeshm Pitamah of Indian politics,” the man who led an Indian delegation to the United Nations for a discussion on the Kashmir issue despite being in the opposition… Yes, we are talking about no other than former Prime Minister <keyword id="47100" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword>, whom even the opponents regard with utmost respect and is invariably referred to as Atal ji by one and all. 
 The political life of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, spanning across seven decades, has numerous exemplary accomplishments and statesmanship. He was the man who helped build the <keyword id="58687" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP) from an insignificant political player, with just two <keyword id="6355187" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword> MPs in the 1984 elections, to the ruling party of today. In the very first general election that the BJP contested in 1984 – amid unprecedented pro-Congress wave following Indira Gandhi’s assassination – the BJP could manage to win merely two seats in the Lok Sabha. 
 
He led the BJP from two seats in 1984 to being the single-largest party in 1996. He was invited to form the government as the leader of the single-largest party, though he did not have the majority. Here he showed he was a true statesman and not like any other power-hungry politician who would have tried every trick of the trade (read horse trading) to cobble up majority and remain in power. But he gracefully put in his papers when he did not get enough support. 
 
In 1977, as foreign minister in the Morarji Desai government, he delivered his speech at the UN in Hindi and became the first Indian leader to do so. 
 
He also served as the country’s Prime Minister from 1998 to 2004. His tenure had many accomplishments like the nuclear test, Lahore summit, Kargil victory and ushering in growth and economic development. However, after his defeat in the elections, he retired from active politics in 2005. 
 
His current state Vajpayee suffered a stroke in 2009, which silenced the great orator. He now remains confined to his bed or wheelchair in his SPG (<keyword id="494734" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Special-Protection-Guard">Special Protection Guard</keyword>)-guarded Krishna Menon Marg bungalow, where he lives with his adopted daughter Namita. He also suffers from dementia and often fails to recognise people. 
 Unlike the good old days, no one visits him these days, except <keyword id="6436232" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="LK-Advani">LK Advani</keyword> and former Uttarakhand chief minister BC Khanduri. He rarely ventures out of his sprawling bungalow, except for checkups at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. However, leaders cutting across various political parties visit him to wish him on his birthday (25 December). Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh makes it a point to visit him personally on his birthday. According to sources, Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> is likely to inaugurate Patna AIIMS on Vajpayee’s birthday this year as a mark of tribute to him. Vajpayee had laid its foundation stone when he was the Prime Minister. 
 
He is also a prolific poet and many of his poems like Kadam milakar chalna hoga and Door kahin koi rota hai were sung by the late Ghazal maestro <keyword id="6385431" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Jagjit-Singh">Jagjit Singh</keyword>. Now, singer Bappi Lahiri will also compose an album of his other poems. 
 
As much as you write about him, it seems less. According to recent media reports, the Narendra Modi government might confer Bharat Ratna to Vajpayee. This would be a befitting tribute to this great statesman.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Forgotten Statesman

Acclaimed actor <keyword id="475128" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="pankaj-tripathi" source="Orion">Pankaj Tripathi</keyword> will be starring in the biopic of India's former Prime Minister <keyword id="628328" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="atal-bihari" source="Orion">Atal Bihari</keyword> Vajpayee. <keyword id="6363889" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="pankaj" source="Orion">Pankaj</keyword> said in a statement: "It's my honour to portray such a humane politician on screen. He was not just a politician but so much more, he was an excellent writer and a renowned poet. Getting to be in his shoes is nothing but a privilege for an actor like me." The film will be helmed by three times National Award winner Ravi Jadhav, one of the renowned directors of the Marathi film Industry and written by Utkarsh Naithani, according to a statement issued by the makers. 'Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahoon Yeh Desh Rehna Chahiye- <keyword id="6378278" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="atal" source="Orion">ATAL</keyword>' revolves around the journey of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a leader of India and one of the co-founders and a senior leader of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). National Award Winner Director Ravi Jadhav mentioned: "For me as a director, I couldn't have asked for any better story than that of <keyword id="1269800" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="atalji" source="Orion">Atalji</keyword>. On top of this, having an exemplary actor like Pankaj Tripathi to bring to screen Atalji's story and the support of the producers. I hope that I can live up to people's expectations with ATAL." Producer <keyword id="3162130" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vinod-bhanushali" source="Orion">Vinod Bhanushali</keyword> shared: "Unanimously, we all had imagined Pankaj Tripathi playing Atalji since we began discussing the film. We are delighted to have one of India's finest actors playing the part." Producer Sandeep Singh added: "India is soon going to celebrate the life of Atal Ji and his political ideologies. We have a powerful duo of Pankaj ji and Ravi ji to bring the story to life. We aim to release this film on Christmas 2023, which also marks the 99th birth anniversary of Bharat Rana Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji." 'Atal', presented by Bhanushali Studios Limited and Legend Studios, is produced by Vinod Bhanushali, Sandeep Singh, Sam Khan &amp; Kamlesh Bhanushali in association with 70MM Talkies and co-produced by Zeeshan Ahmad &amp; Shivv Sharma. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/sandhya-devanathans-journey-from-andhra-university-to-meta-india/slidelist/95583304.cms">Sandhya Devanathan’s journey from Andhra University to Meta India</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/a-suitable-boy-writer-vikram-seth-and-his-curious-case-of-missing-racks/articleshow/95593360.cms">A Suitable Boy writer Vikram Seth and his curious case of missing racks</a>

Pankaj Tripathi to star in Vajpayee's biopic

Last week’s eviction of the <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword>’s trimurti – <keyword id="47100" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword>, <keyword id="58476" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Murli-Manohar-Joshi">Murli Manohar Joshi</keyword> and <keyword id="50272" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lal-Krishna-Advani">Lal Krishna Advani</keyword> – from the party’s parliamentary board marked the final nail in the coffin of their political career. Their exit means an end of an era, which should have been more graceful and dignified. Instead of sacking them from the membership of the parliamentary board, they should have been allowed to fade away or kept as ‘honorary members.’ 
 Leaders from the opposition have started taking a dig at this decision. Recently, Congress leader and former Cabinet minister Manish Tewari said that this recent development clearly indicates that the “process of complete centralisation of power in one hand.” Another Congress leader Rashid Alvi said, “The <keyword id="2490292" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Margdarshak-Mandal">Margdarshak Mandal</keyword> is a ‘mookdarshak mandal.’ It is like an old-age home from where Advani and Joshi will witness the functioning of the BJP like mutes.” 
 
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and MM Joshi were the pivots around which the party was built. Their role in building the BJP is unquestionable. They helped propel the party, from an insignificant political player with just two Lok Sabha MPs in the 1984 elections, to the single-largest party in 1996. 
 
Vajpayee, often referred to as the Bheeshm Pitamah of Indian politics, was the founder president of the party, and Advani and Joshi were general secretaries. Vajpayee was the party’s chief orator, statesman, and the most acceptable and respectable face of the party. 
 
Advani was the organiser and charioteer, who organised movements to propagate BJP’s core ideology of Hindutva. His Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya was crucial in building the Ram Temple movement and helped BJP form a government in the country’s largest state of Uttar Pradesh, thereby bringing the party into the mainstream politics. Advani was also a talent-spotter. He nurtured a pool of second-rung leaders, which ironically included Modi, besides Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar and others. 
 Joshi, a PhD in Spectroscopy from <keyword id="6364092" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Allahabad-University">Allahabad University</keyword>, was the intellectual face of the party. He was the key man behind the process of manifesto preparation and policy formulation of the party. 
 Alongside the rise in the stature of Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>, there has been a steady and parallel decline in the fortunes of party stalwarts MM Joshi and LK Advani. Unlike Vajpayee, who is ailing, both the leaders are still fit and active politicians whose vast political experience and acumen could have been used by the party. However, their eviction from the parliamentary board – the party’s highest decision-making body – can only be attributed to Modi’s attempt at complete centralisation of power and further strengthen his stranglehold on the party by undermining the leaders taller than him. 
 On the contrary, other political parties are giving their seniors due respect. For instance, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) continued with veteran leader <keyword id="2502752" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Harkishan-Singh-Surjit">Harkishan Singh Surjit</keyword> as the party’s general secretary till 2005 and the party came up with its best ever performance so far by winning 43 seats. He was also a member of the party's Politburo till 2008, when he died at the age of 92. Even in the Congress, where many leaders complain of being sidelined to give way to Rahul Gandhi, <keyword id="219946" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Motilal-Vora">Motilal Vora</keyword> (86) is still the party’s treasurer and also a member of the Congress Working Committee. 
 
It is sad to see that the BJP, which talks about Hindutva, seems to have forgotten that giving due respect to elders is the essence of the Hindu culture and the Hindu society reposes great faith in the wisdom of elders.

BJP’s Founding Forefathers Reduced To ‘Mookdarshak’

JAMMU: This may appear counter-intuitive, but PDP — the main opposition party in Jammu &amp; Kashmir — as well as Hurriyat and separatist leaders believe that BJP’s “anti-Muslim” prime ministerial nominee, <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>, is the best bet for Muslim-dominated Kashmir in the hope he can address both the internal and external dimensions of the region’s problem. 
 Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the Hurriyat’s moderate faction, was emphatic, saying BJP had a clear stand on Kashmir and has the “capacity” and political will to solve the problem. The Mirwaiz said a decade of <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> rule at the Centre reversed the work done by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government to resolve the conflict. 
 
“There was a forward movement on Kashmir during Vajpayee’s tenure as PM. He declared Kashmir a humanitarian issue which should be addressed within the ambit of humanity,” the Mirwaiz said. 
 
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said, “A section of Kashmiris believe Modi can take some tough decisions on the Kashmir issue... (they believe) he may emulate Vajpayee who took some bold steps to infuse in the people hope of a final settlement of the Kashmir issue.” However, she ruled out alliance with BJP in the state or even in New Delhi. 
 
Other separatist groups and several political analysts in J&amp;K are also wishing for an NDA victory to take the process of a Kashmir solution forward. Prominent separatist Nayeem Khan said a BJP-led government would address Kashmir with its external and internal dimensions. “It was Vajpayee who looked for a Kashmir settlement with Pakistan. The people of J&amp;K have great respect for his statesmanship and for the initiatives he took for the settlement of the Kashmir issue,” Khan said. 
 However, Hurriyat hawk <keyword id="48746" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Syed-Ali-Shah-Geelani">Syed Ali Shah Geelani</keyword>, who opposes any dialogue with New Delhi over Kashmir, thinks only the external dimension of the issue can settle the Kashmir imbroglio. He expressed dismay over Prime Minister <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword>’s lack of progress in dialogue with Pakistan. 
 The Kashmiri aam admi doesn’t seem to share Geelani’s view. They feel a BJP-led government can bring peace and prosperity. “The complex Kashmir issue can neither be solved by parties in Kashmir valley nor by the announcement of frequent bandhs and strikes, but by talks with stakeholders including Kashmiris. But overall, the confidence building measures that got diluted under the UPA need to be revived,” said Mohammad Sidiq Bangroo, a political analyst in <keyword id="41568" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Srinagar">Srinagar</keyword>. 
 <keyword id="2128881" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Mohammad-Yousuf-Mir">Mohammad Yousuf Mir</keyword>, a taxi driver whose top concern is peace so that tourists flock in large numbers to the Valley, said, “Modi is said to be communal but he would bring peace in Kashmir as the Valley is important for the integrity of India. Modi would try to bring Kashmiris around by announcing more concessions for a permanent settlement.” 
 
The perception in Jammu is similar. Most Jammu residents believe Modi will try to appease Kashmiris but wouldn’t allow “any nonsense” by the Kashmir-centric parties vis-a-vis their stand on the Kashmir issue. “Modi won’t allow the regional parties to do doublespeak, which they generally do. They say one thing in Delhi and another in J&amp;K for votes in the Valley,” said Madan Lal Gupta of Jammu.

Modi Finds Unlikely Fans In J&K’s PDP, Separatists

<keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> called a meeting of BJP’s <keyword id="252988" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="general-secretaries">general secretaries</keyword>, where he emphasised on the need to maintain a link between the government and the party workers. 
 
“The PM made it clear that despite the immediacy of the mandate, the party must not forget that another election will have to be fought, for that karyakartas must continue to feel a sense of ownership over the government,” said a senior party leader. 
 According to a general secretary, although the approval ratings of <keyword id="47100" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword> were high in 2004, local anti-incumbency led to his defeat. 
 
“It was observed that most karyakartas are not looking for governmental patronage or contracts. Most have simple needs – someone to help with medical treatment in Delhi or some transfer posting request,” a source told The Economic Times.

​Modi Asks BJP General Secretaries To Feel People’s Pulse

NEW DELHI: <keyword id="2540" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="President">President</keyword> Pranab Mukherjee may not invite the single largest pre-poll combination to form the government unless it provides letters of support from more parties to prove that it has the required numbers. 
 
After extensive consultations on how to ascertain who is best suited to provide a stable government in a hung House scenario, Mukherjee seems to have concluded that the contenders for power ought to back up their claims of majority support by producing letters of support from their post-poll allies. 
 
“He wants to make sure that those who stake claim to form government actually enjoy majority support in the House,” said a source familiar with the details of the deliberations Mukherjee has been holding in order to ensure that the next regime turns out to be a stable one. 
 
He has been advised that this could be done only by seeking letters of support from post-poll alliance partners, as was done on an earlier occasion. 
 After Rajiv Gandhi refused to form government despite <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> emerging as the single largest party in 1989, the then president R Venkataraman invited V P Singh to form government as the leader of Janata Dal, which managed to cobble together a post-poll alliance. 
 
The precedent was followed by Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1996 to invite Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP to form the government even though it had only 161 members and absolutely no chance of reaching the magic figure of 272. BJP was surprised by the invite, though it grabbed the opportunity to form the first-ever saffron regime at the Centre. With the “secular” parties combining against him, Vajpayee’s government quit after 13 days. 
 
Sharma’s successor KR Narayanan chose to play safe when Vajpayee staked his second claim two years later, and insisted on seeing letters of support even when the BJP-led NDA pre-poll alliance had won the majority. 
 The use of the same yardstick by Narayanan a year later resulted in huge embarrassment for Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The Congress president had claimed she had the support of 272 but with SP chief <keyword id="25541" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Mulayam-singh">Mulayam Singh</keyword> Yadav backing out at the last minute, came short when the President asked for letters of support. 
 
 
 
 
 
When contacted by TOI, noted constitutional expert and former attorney general Soli J Sorabjee suggested that producing letters of support may not be necessary if the President is satisfied that the single largest party or pre-poll coalition holds the prospect of providing a viable government after an election which fails to throw up an outright winner. 
 
“If the President is satisfied on that count, then there is no need to seek letters of support from post-poll alliance partners. After inviting the largest coalition or party to form government, he could given them reasonable time, say a week or two, to prove its majority on the floor of the House,” Sorabjee said. 
 “The President need not test the strength of the party or coalition in the <keyword id="6355187" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword> before inviting it to form government. The test of strength is in the House and not in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Though, there is nothing in the Constitution which bars the President from seeking letters of support from post-poll alliance partners, it sounds a little unethical,” he added.

President To Seek Allies’ Support Letters If Nobody Gets Majority

The good boy of Indian government,Narendra Modi is on duty all the time, the <keyword id="6365387" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PMO">PMO</keyword> has said. It also added that no leave records of former PMs are available with it, according to a report by a news agnecy. 
 The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said this when an <keyword id="6356198" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="RTI">RTI</keyword> applicant sought a copy of leave rules and procedures for the Prime Minister of the country from it and the <keyword id="116854" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="cabinet-secretariat">Cabinet Secretariat</keyword>. "The Prime Minister can be said to be on duty all the time," the Right to Information (RTI) response from the PMO said. 
 The applicant also wanted to know if former prime ministers <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword>, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, H D Deve Gowda, I K Gujral, P V Narasimha Rao, Chandrashekhar, V P Singh and <keyword id="12596" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajiv-Gandhi">Rajiv Gandhi</keyword> had availed any leave and were there any records. 
 "Information regarding leave record of previous PMs is not a part of records held by this office. However, it may be noted that no leave has been availed by present PM i.e. <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> since taking over charge," the RTI reply said.

Narendra Modi hasn't taken a single leave from office till date

Mumbai, Feb 23 (PTI) Former <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> Speaker Manohar <keyword id="19952829" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="joshi" source="keywords">Joshi</keyword> passed away at a Mumbai hospital on Friday, where he was admitted after suffering a cardiac arrest. Joshi (86) was admitted to <keyword id="20694838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hinduja-hospital" source="keywords">Hinduja Hospital</keyword> in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on February 21 and passed away early Friday, the private medical facility said. Joshi Sir, as he was popularly known, was the first chief minister of the undivided Shiv Sena and held the post during 1995-1999. He was admitted to the hospital in May last year after suffering a brain haemorrhage. He was also elected as a member of Parliament and was the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2002 to 2004 when the Vajpayee government was in power. Born on December 2, 1937 in coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, Joshi obtained his Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) in Mumbai. His political career began with his involvement in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and he later became a member of the Shiv Sena. In the 1980s, Joshi emerged as a key leader within the Shiv Sena, and was known for his organisational skills. He was the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2002 to 2004 when the Vajpayee government was in power. The former Union minister was married to Anagha Joshi, who died in 2020 at the age of 75. He is survived by a son and two daughters. Joshi began his career as a teacher and entered politics in 1967. He was associated with the Shiv Sena for more than four decades. He was a municipal councilor in Mumbai during 1968-70 and Chairman, Standing Committee of the Mumbai municipal corporation in 1970. He was the Mayor of Mumbai during 1976-1977. He was then elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council in 1972. After serving three terms in the Legislative Council, Joshi was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1990 and was the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly during 1990-91. In the 1999 general elections, Joshi won from the Mumbai North-Central Lok Sabha Constituency as a Shiv Sena candidate, and was later Union minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. Condoling Joshi's demise, Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who was a member of the Maharashtra ministry when the former was the CM, said the state had lost a "cultured face" of politics. Joshi's family said his last rites will be performed at Shivaji Park crematorium in Dadar area.

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