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Vajpayee faces biggest defeat at peak of popularity
Ironically the biggest defeat of his career came when Vajpayee was at the peak of his popularity as a leader with pan-India appeal.
Ironically the biggest defeat of his political career came when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was at the peak of his popularity as a statesman and a leader with pan-India appeal.
BJP, which has often accused Congress of promoting personality cults, fought the elections in his name on his record of leadership but voters did not buy brand Vajpayee. In survey after survey Vajpayee came out as the country's most popular leader well ahead of Congress President Sonia Gandhi with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani trailing far, far behind.
An election that was supposed to have been won easily by Vajpayee turned out to be the worst moment in his distinguished public career.
Never a gambler, the 79-year-old leader chose to call the elections six months ahead largely at the insistence of his senior colleagues who spoke of so-called "feel good" and "India shining" factors.
The stunning electoral reverse could eventually mean a sad end to a very distinguished career which saw the rise of a Gwalior school teacher's son to the leadership of a billion people.
Vajpayee completed a rare hatrick of being sworn-in Prime Minister three times consecutively though his first tenure was cut short in 13 days and the second in 1998 in 13 months. May 13, 2004 turned out to be unlucky for him.
Astute parliamentarian, warm and persuasive leader and a sensitive poet, Vajpayee has been described as the moderate and tolerant face of "hardline" party.
He was first sown in as Prime Minister on May 16, 1996 but resigned 13 days later when he failed to muster a majority on the floor of the House.
Vajpayee earlier made his name as External Affairs Minister in the 1977 Janata Party government and later Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
Though he had a trubulent term in office as Prime Minister during 1998-99, his longer stint came surprisingly after the Kargil conflict when his government was in caretaker capacity.
With a clear majority for his NDA in October 1999, he pushed forward with economic reforms like greater thrust on disinvestment, further opening up of economy to foreign direct investment and above all his repeated forays on the foreign policy front like the peace initiative with Pakistan and for better relations with China.
