Mask Behind the Face

For Atalji, a developed sense of irony is not a luxury; without it he would be utterly and totally lost. After all, the people who now announce him as their "supreme leader", proclaim he is the "tallest" public figure the country has produced since Nehru, insist he is not merely a successful coalition leader but a "visionary"—these very people tried to topple him publicly barely six months ago. The vikaspurush had to throw a tantrum before the TV cameras and threaten to resign in order to keep his chair. One can argue that in politics such things happen, but they seldom happen so crudely. At any rate, my point is that Mr Vajpayee sustains his composure, serenity and good humour largely because he understands that the absurd and the cynical are integral to the BJP's hunger for power.

Last week when I briefly met the PM, he seemed an enormously satisfied man basking in the accolades of having made "history". I have never seen him in better physical shape, which again goes to prove that nothing rejuvenates a Bharatiya politician than the knowledge that he is in total command of his organisation. The "mask" of the party has become the "face" of the party. When I reminded Mr Vajpayee what he had told me four years ago—he had said that just as it took a Republican president (Nixon) to usher in US-China rapprochement, similarly a BJP prime minister would bring Indo-Pak relations out of the woods—he laughed loudly. He didn't say I-told-you-so but his message was clear.

If Vajpayee can achieve his "lifelong ambition", history will forgive him his doublespeak on Narendra Modi, the Ram mandir, conversions and much else. Blessed are the peacemakers!