Almost three-and-a-half years after having been in office, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said that competitive politics and fractured mandate posed hurdles in letting the government do what is ?manifestly obvious?.
??I must admit that given the nature of competitive politics and the very fractured mandate given to the government, it has become difficult sometimes for us to do what is manifestly obvious,?? he said addressing a meeting of McKinsey board in India.
PM?s candid admittance, made with reference to his inability to push through with reforms measures as well as the continuing standoff with the Left on the nuclear deal, came even as the BJP sought to rub it in further saying his reported remarks that he was ?sad and helpless? was a ?cause for national worry?.
Training its guns directly on the PM, the main Opposition party contended that ??a growing, youthful and a resurgent nation?? like India deserved an ?enthusiastic leader? who is decisive and not someone who is ?sad and helpless?. The party, however, did not ask for his resignation. Trying to make a case for a public debate on the issue BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said, ??The nation needs to reflect on a question ‘can a sad man lead a resurgent nation?? Neither the PM nor his office is doing the nation any favour by projecting him as a helpless leader.??
Reports that the PM was anguished by the increasing isolation within the UPA on the nuclear deal had come out on Monday after he reportedly told alliance leaders at a meeting that he felt ??let down?? and embarrassed by their refusal to back him wholeheartedly. So much so that there was even speculation that he had offered to step down, forcing government managers to come out and publicly scotch the rumours.
The BJP has, of late, repeatedly brought the PM in the firing line for one reason or the other. Recently in response to Singh?s criticism enumerating the failures of the NDA regime lead by AB Vajpayee, the BJP had termed him a ??political novice, as he is a late entrant in politics??.
Reminding the Singh?s remarks at the recently concluded HT Summit, Jaitley sarcastically said, ??Singh?s speech at the summit that ‘one has to live with the disappointment, as life must go on’ is a typical Indian condolence message. The speech speaks volumes on the state of his mind.?? The BJP spokesperson alleged that the UPA government has not taken any significant decision in the recent months and dubbed reports about PM being embarrassed over the nuclear deal as a ??pathetic spectacle??.