Sunday, August 3, 2003		Ulta-pulta

EVEN if the BJP as categorically stated that it will not raise the issue of Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origins, it seems as if it will definitely try to raise doubts in the coming elections whether a person of foreign origin can become India’s PM or not.

If the issue of foreign origin hots up the Congress is not going to take things lying down. It would also like to bring up the issue of whether the country is fit to be ruled by such oldies whose knees, ankles, hands and feet, heart and mind have slowed down?

Although Sonia will declare in her high pitched Italian voice, "I am an Indian," and Vajpayee will mutter in his slow poetic trance, "Abhi to main jawan hoon," the fact is that both the Congress and the BJP have no alternatives in leadership.

Venkaiah Naidu had once declared that the BJP would be represented by twin leaders ‘Vikas Purush, and ‘Loh Purush’. The BJP retraced its stand and issued a hasty statement —"There is only one leader for the PM’s post — Atal Bihari Vajpayee".

I personally have quite liked the theory of ‘twin leadership’. From ages filmi jodis have been immensely popular like those of Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji. Nadeem - Shravan. In the same way the jodi of Atalji - Advaniji can be projected for the PM’s post. The Congress should also work on twin leadership and probably project Sonia-Manmohan Singh or Sonia — Arjun Singh or Sonia — Pranab as the new jodis. One a desi Indian, the other a phoren Indian. Because all the qualities cannot be found in one leader. if one is popular, he is inexperienced. If the other is honest, he is inefficient. In my opinion the Constitution should be amended to accommodate two persons for important posts like PM or CM — Sharifji -badmashji, Imaandarji-corruptji.