BJP rally at Shivaji Park

Atalji creates another
historical milestone
From Our Correspondent

The Shivaji Park in Mumbai has been witness to many a historical moments, upheavals and incidents that changed the course of Indian politics. It was the ground where addressing a rally in December 1980, the year Bharatiya Janata Party came into existence, Justice MC Chagla had declared that he could foresee the future Prime Minister in Shri Atalji. Fifteen years later on the same ground Shri Advaniji had said if the BJP came to power Atalji would be our Prime Minister.

Ten years later when the BJP organised another mammoth rally in Mumbai on December 29,2005 as a part of its Rajat Jayanti celebration, Shivaji Park became an eye witness to another historical moment. This time former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Shri Atalji announced his retirement from active politics saying emphatically that he would not contest any election in the future. Shri Vajpayee however assured party leaders and karyakartas that he would continue to work for the party till the last.

Vignettes The BJP activists and supporters led by local leaders came in droves from not only Mumbai but all over Maharashtra . By the time the sun slipped down into the Arabian Sea the ground was choc-a-bloc with rallyists emitting full-throated slogans and holding fluttering saffron flags and placards. Even the roads and bylanes close to the ground were spilling over with BJP supporters and dedicated 'karyakartas'. Slogans like "Atal-Advani tum aage badho hum tumhare sath hain" rent the air. They were not merely BJP activists but also aam aadmi. The atmosphere was electrifying as the party workers from different regions of Maharashtra swarmed the Shivaji Park from all sides carrying their traditional musical instruments and dancing to its tunes. Folk dances like bhangara , Lavni were performed by enthusiastic karyakartas. The main dias, a giant Kamal depicting glorious chapters of BJP's yatra ever since its inception, was the centre of attraction. The petals of giant Kamal fluttered and Atalji and Advaniji were visible to eager audiences on the dias. It was followed by spectacular fire works. This massive, impressive turn out was enough for BJP president Shri L.K. Advani to confess he had never seen such a massive rally in his entire life at Shivaji Park and it was a testimony to BJP's popularity among the masses.

Earlier launching a scathing attack on the UPA Government Shri Advani said "running a Government successfully needs better performance on the three fronts of security, integrity and alacrity" and Congress had failed miserably on all these fronts.

Shri Advani blasted the Congress for promoting Corruption, " There is no doubt corruption is an evil but what Volcker has exposed is corruption plus lack of integrity. It is a matter of sadness and shame."

Blaming the Congress president Smt. Sonia Gandhi he said she was also guilty of the same crime committed by Shri Natwar Singh who had to resign from the Cabinet. "

Referring to BJP's illustrious journey since 1980 BJP General Secretary Shri Pramod Mahajan said 14 leaders sitting on the dias had been with the BJP ever since it was founded on April 6,1980. Praising the party leadership he said BJP was like an ocean where everyone could find a place himself or herself.

Prominent among others who addressed the rally were State BJP President Shri Nitin Gadkari, Leader of Legislature Party in Maharashtra Shri Gopinath Munde, Shri Vinod Tavde and Shri Prakash Maheta.