Atal Bihari Vajpayee: a Prime Minister who preached Raj Dharma and federalism

In 2002, the Kerala Government appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), as consultants to help organize the first Global Investors Meet (GIM) in Kochi in January 18 and 19th 2003. The idea was the brain-child of a dynamic bureaucrat Shri Jiji Thomson who was then the Managing Director of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC). PwC was requested to conduct a pre-feasibility study, select high-potential projects and showcase them to potential investors who would be attending the GIM. Many of the investors were NRIs from Kerala like the Dubai-based Sunny Varkey, who had achieved spectacular success in the Gulf countries.
The rationale for the GIM was sound. The flow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the 10-year period between 1991 and 2001 into various States in the country showed that Maharashtra topped the list with 17.11 per cent, while Kerala got only 0.54 per cent. The Government felt that Kerala should transform into an investor-friendly destination. The Government had constituted a high-level committee with the Chief Minister as the Chairman, the Industries Minister as the Vice-Chairman and all the Ministers as council members.
My partner Vedamoorthy Namasivayam (Namas) assisted by a bright, young manager Srini was working tirelessly to make the GIM a success. Early in the process, we realized that it would be important for Kerala to show a united face, rising above political differences, in the GIM.
The Chief Minister Shri A.K.Antony personally invited the Prime Minister and to all our delight Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee readily accepted. We then requested the Chief Minister to speak to the Shri V.S. Achuthanandan , leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), to sit on the same dais as Shri Antony and Shri Vajpayee and speak in the same vein about the advantages of investing in Kerala. The objective was very simple. Kerala alternated between the Congress Government and the Left. The investors needed the comfort that their investments would be safe even if the government changed. They wanted assurance that there would be continuity in the message of encouraging foreign investments in the state.
To his full credit, Shri Antony readily agreed to invite Shri Achuthanandan personally. The wily Communist leader did not readily agree. He did a “due diligence” of the messages of the GIM before he agreed to be present on the dais. He wanted to be the last speaker. He also repeatedly requested Shri Antony to ensure that no one should strike a discordant note and criticize his party or the previous Communist governments.
Shri Antony readily agreed and promised to recognize and formally thank Shri Achuthanandan and his party. We thought this was a great achievement given the acrimony between the Congress, the BJP and the Left. The portal Rediff.com, which was founded by Ajit Balakrishnan, a son of Kerala wrote on 13th January 2003, “One of the key speakers during the GIM inauguration ceremony will be leader of the Communist Party of India Marxist-led opposition V S Achuthanandan who has declared ‘constructive support’ to the investors’ meet.”
Close to 800 delegates had been invited and the only place the event could take place was Le Meridien which had a large and excellent Convention Centre. The Kerala Government worked day and night as did the PwC team. Particularly upbeat and aggressive was the Industries Minister P K Kunjalikutty who went to foreign destinations and pitched for the state. He said, “We have now created an ideal environment for investment in Kerala. We are certain that the state is soon going to become an investors’ paradise. After Kerala had won accolades in tourism by branding itself as God’s Own County, the Antony government had coined a new catchphrase for luring investment — Kerala: the land of infinite opportunity.
On the morning of 18th January 2003, Shri Vajpayee landed in his special plane with a large entourage which included his colleague and Minister Arun Shourie. The planning of the first session had been meticulous. A poem of Shri Vajpayee had been translated into Malayalam and set to music. A talented young singer had rehearsed for weeks with accompanying musicians. When Shri Vajpayee took his seat, the girl beautifully sang the song in both Hindi and Malayalam. The Prime Minister was visibly moved and he went across to the singer to congratulate her. What an auspicious start, we all thought!
Shri Arun Shourie was then hitting the headlines with his forceful drive for privatization of Public Sector Units. He was not particularly popular with the communists. But how could you not invite a Central Minister to speak? He had come with the Prime Minister. The Chief Minister, always the gentleman, invited him to speak.
Even back then, Shri Shourie was fond of grand-standing. We did not know he could be a loose cannon as well. Shri Shourie sincerely believes he talks straight and does not mince words. But he is often oblivious of the occasion and can deliver a stinging rebuke in a funeral eulogy.
He began by squarely criticizing the CPI-M for the miserable state of affairs in Kerala. He did not spare his host Shri Antony either, admonishing him for not having a spine and failing to stand-up to Sonia Gandhi. After his speech, there was a tea break.
Shri Achuthanandan was livid. The promises made to him had been broken. His party had been ridiculed in front of a large audience of foreign and non-resident Malayali investors. Shri Antony did not make any attempt to stop Shri Shourie. He was going to walk-out.
We all beseeched him not to leave the GIM.In any case Shri Antony was not responsible for Shri Shouries’s attack on the Left, he had with equal vehemence attacked Antony personally. Shri Antony with folded hands requested the Left leader to stay. After puffing and fuming Shri Achuthanandan decided to stay back but on one condition.
He said,” Shourie has unfairly vilified our party. You have to promise and ensure that he does have another chance to speak even for a second.” We immediately agreed. Did we have a choice?
After the tea break both Shri Antony and Shri Achuthanandan spoke in one voice extolling the advantages of Kerala and inviting them to invest in the showcased projects. Both of them assured all cooperation to the foreign investors. Last to speak was Shri Achuthanandan who held his fire till the very end.
He said, “I thank Chief Minister Antony for organizing such a grand meet for global investors. I thank the Prime Minister for coming to Kochi to support Kerala and its people. My only regret is that we have a drop of tar in a barrel of honey. I do not know who invited a Disinvestment Minister to a Global Investment Summit and what he is doing here.” I could see an agitated Shourie jumping up to grab the Mike but he was a few seconds too late. As had been planned carefully, there would be no vote of thanks, the orchestra began to play with gusto and the national anthem was being sung. Even the smiling Prime Minister ,despite his feeble knees, was on his feet and the entire hall had stood up as the national song reverberated across the huge convention hall at Le Meridien.