Hyderabad:BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed that only Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi can be called "natural prime ministers," while others were "accidental PMs."
Speaking at an event here marking the centenary birth year of Vajpayee, Trivedi alleged that Jawaharlal Nehru became India’s first prime minister despite not receiving a single vote from the 15-member Congress committee tasked with selecting the post. He claimed all 15 members supported Sardar Patel.
Highlighting Vajpayee’s contributions, Trivedi called the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests a significant achievement. "Conducting nuclear tests without detection by US spy agencies was a remarkable feat. It serves as a nuclear deterrent against Pakistan and China," he said.
Trivedi also noted the impact of Vajpayee's leadership on Indo-US relations. He pointed out that then US President Bill Clinton spent five days in India during his 2000 visit but devoted only five hours to neighboring Pakistan, breaking the usual protocol of a full-fledged Pakistan tour following an India visit.
"This was due to India's enhanced global image under Vajpayee's leadership," Trivedi added, praising Vajpayee’s selfless approach, noting he never sought the PM’s chair for personal gain.
The MP also shared a lesser-known anecdote about former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. "In 2002, when I met Narasimha Rao in the US, I asked if he ever consulted Vajpayee on critical issues like the 1990 financial crisis, terrorism in Punjab, the LTTE issue or managing a minority government. Rao told me Vajpayee frequently called him during tough times," Trivedi revealed.
Union minister for coal and mines G. Kishan Reddy, presiding over the event, reflected on his experiences with BJP national leaders visiting the state. He emphasised the party’s motto of "nation first, party next, self last."
Former Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao recalled Vajpayee’s composure after the 2001 terror attack on Parliament, noting how he led proceedings the following day with clarity and decisiveness. Earlier, a photo exhibition on Vajpayee was organised at the BJP state office in Nampally.
