MyNation deciphers Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Era, ideology and legacy

Chief editor Abhijit Majumder and deputy editor Surajit Dasgupta of MyNation discuss what the epoch of Vajpayee's rule was, the statesman's commitment to ideology, what the former Prime Minister's legacy is and the few stones he left unturned.

We relive the 1990s that saw Vajpayee peak in his political career. Was he really the reconciliatory man, a euphemism for a compromising man, that the opposition of today misses sorely in the incumbent Narendra Modi? Not quite. Both Pokhran II and economic reforms bear testimony to his strong resolve.

Of course, there is a job Vajpayee left undone that the opposition wouldn't complain about. He did not consolidate or expand the vote base or work on the development of a strong organisation.