New Delhi: Days after reports quoted her as having lavished praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Delhi Chief Minister and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit has now said that she was not impressed by him. In an interview a news channel, Dikshit was asked whether Modi had impressed her and she replied saying that he was a confident man and one with a vision but he was yet to walk the talk.
“No, no... Its too early to say whether he impresses or not. I wouldn't say he impressed me, certainly not. My opinion of him was that he looked confident, and that was very natural for him to look confident... BJP has come on its own for the first time in the history of independent India,” she said. “Whether you agree with the vision... You will only agree with the vision, if the vision is put into practice... That hasn't happened as yet,” she added.
Criticising the government's approach of announcing development programmes in quick succession, she said, “Every day or every second day, some programme comes out. We'll do this, make in India, acche din aayenge, this will happen, changes will be made, bureaucracy will move faster, no corruption, this and the other.”
When asked is it too early to judge Modi's performance, she said, “Its not early for the simple reason that he looks like a man in a hurry. Otherwise normally what we have seen in this country a party has its manifesto, a Prime Minister is chosen. They take some time to do things... But there has to be an announcement every day.”
Dikshit said that people had voted for change in the last elections as there was a sense of fatigue. Asked whether Sonia and Rahul Gandhi should speak more, Dikshit said that the Congress President always spoke when she felt she should and said Rahul should be given time and expressed confidence that he would succeed. Dikshit also said that the post of the Governor should be kept above politics.
She said that when she had met Home Minister Rajnath Singh she had told him that she would not continue as Kerala governor as her conscience did not allow her to stay.
