Jaswant Singh Book on Jinnah

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<b>Coalition politics needed to end Congress hegemony: Advani</b>
Ians
August 21st, 2009

BJPSHIMLA - Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Friday said coalition politics was a necessity to end the “hegemony of the Congress” in the country’s political system. “Coalition politics is necessary to end Congress hegemony. It is the necessity in India’s political system,” senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj cited Advani as saying in his address to the party’s three-day introspection meet that ended here.

“Even in the chintan baithak (introspection session), the pros and cons of coalition politics were discussed in detail,” she told reporters during a press briefing.

In his address, Advani said coalition politics was not a recent phenomenon and even the founder of Jana Sangh, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, had formed a coalition in the first Lok Sabha.

Advani admitted that the image of the party had taken a beating. It is due to “infighting, frustration and lack of self-confidence” among the party workers.
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Swaraj said quoting Advani: “Our graph from 1989 to 1999 was at its best and we formed the government at the centre. Between 1999 and 2009, we lost two parliamentary elections consecutively. So introspection is a must.”

“In 1984, even when we had two MPs, the people had faith in us,” said Advani. And added: “Today we have 116 seats in the Lok Sabha, so there is no need for frustration.”
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“This ‘chintan baithak’ is the first step towards improvement and to resolve issues through dialogue and interaction,” Swaraj quoted Advani as saying.