The Hindu : National : Advani wanted to call it a day

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Advani wanted to call it a day

As he felt he had achieved a lot in public life and politics

Thought came first at the height of Jinnah controversy
“Sonia and I had coffee together”

New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L. K. Advani thought of calling it a day in politics when he turned 80 in November last.

Disclosing this in an interview to the NDTV, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said he contemplated retirement because he felt he had achieved a lot in public life.

Mr. Advani said that the thought of announcing retirement from politics came to his mind when he started writing My Country, My Life.

“When I started writing the book, somewhere at the back of my mind was that I had hoped that it would be over much before November 2007 when I complete 80 and may be I make an announcement,” he said.

Asked whether he meant retirement, he said “that is right. Retiring from politics.”

On what prompted the thought, he said: “I had achieved a lot in public life; achieved a lot in politics.”

Sense of fulfilment

“What I have written in the book, when I completed, it gave me a sense of fulfilment. I did say to some friends that one should retire when he is in good health,” he said.

The thought of retirement came again when he was announced as the party’s prime ministerial candidate in December last but he felt doing so at that point of time would not be in the party’s interest, he said.

He accepted the party’s decision because in a way it “cast aside all the earlier misunderstandings and accepted me and passed a resolution to have me lead the party in the coming elections.”

Mr. Advani was obviously referring to the Jinnah episode in 2005, which cost him his job as the party chief and marginalised him in the party and in the Sangh Parivar.

In his book, he has said he thought of retiring from politics at the height of the Jinnah controversy.

Meetings with Manmohan, Sonia

Asked about his meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the occasion of Holi and presenting them with copies of his book, Mr. Advani said he thought of availing of the opportunity to meet them.

The BJP leader said he went to Ms. Gandhi’s place for the first time.

“She was very cordial, very warm. We had coffee together.”

To a question whether the coffee was an ice-breaker, Mr. Advani parried a direct reply and said, “in fact, some of the comments made by the Congress spokesman surprised me and I don’t want to comment.”

“No awkwardness’

On whether there was any sense of awkwardness, he said: “No, nothing. Nothing of any kind. It was very, very cordial. Both places there was no problem.”

The BJP leader said the Prime Minister told him that he already got a copy of his book.

“I have already got a copy for myself. But I am grateful that you have come,” he quoted the Prime Minister as having told him. — PTI

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