When Narasimha Rao sent a chit to Vajpayee

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, October 18

Ahead of oath taking as prime minister by BJP’s Atal Behari Vajpayee in 1996, PV Narasimha Rao had passed on a chit to his successor urging for an “unfinished task” (read nuclear test) to be accomplished.

Rao, as PM, had not been able to conduct the tests.

“After Vajpayee’s appointment as prime minister, Rao quietly passed on a chit to Vajpayee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan swearing in ceremony. It was a hint to accomplish the unfinished task. The task Narasimha Rao had failed to accomplish during his premiership was nothing other than nuclear tests at Pokhran in the Rajasthan desert,” a new book, “The Reverse Swing” by Vajpayee’s media adviser Ashok Tandon, reveals.

Ashok Tandon records that Rao as PM had an inkling that the US would be lobbying to deny premiership to Vajpayee in the event of a hung Lok Sabha.

“America’s apathy towards Vajpayee was clearly reflected in some declassified emails sent to Washington by the US Embassy in New Delhi. One such email was based on the notes prepared by the US Embassy from a conversation between Vajpayee and the then US Ambassador to India Frank Wisner,” reveals the book.

Relying on these emails, the author goes on to say that “in his report to Washington Wisner disfavoured Vajpayee as the next Indian PM because from Vajpayee’s body language there was an indication that he would favour the test.”

Vajpayee could not accomplish Rao’s unfinished task in 1996 as his government fell in 13 days.

But when he returned to power in 1998, Vajpayee conducted the May 1998 nuclear tests in Pokhran inviting US condemnation.

Importantly, Rao had awarded Vajpayee Padhma Vibhushan. The two had always enjoyed special bonhomie.