Posturing in the media, and some public raving and ranting would help. The Prime Minister has till date ignored the advice—and it has done him absolutely no harm. Atal Behari Vajpayee is what he is. You get what you see. It is silly at this late stage in his career to expect him to develop a new style. At any rate, in this ramshackle government, where reputations have crumbled and "hard talk" is cheap, Mr Vajpayee's personal popularity remains intact.
Having paid that compliment, I give Atalji one piece of advice: he should speak more often. Ever since he moved into 7, Race Course Road, Mr Vajpayee, never garrulous, has adopted a minimalist approach when it comes to sharing his thoughts and ideas. One understands the exigencies of coalition politics, nevertheless he could increase his communication with the nation to mutual benefit. Atalji will, and rightly, ignore my advice, but one thing he definitely should not do is to pass it on to his ministerial colleagues. They, alas, are coming through loud and clear.