.. Vajpayee's public image has definitely suffered a dent because of his personal behaviour ... His open defence of the Sangh has indeed alienated him from liberal democratic opinion in the country. The picture of Vajpayee that has emerged as a consequence is that of a helpless prisoner in the hands of the RSS, not one of a leader who knows his mind and steers clear of the Sangh without being unduly hostile to it ...

Bereft of decisive actions the Vajpayee leadership is showing signs of drift. Such a leadership gives the impression that it could succumb to pressures from various quarters ... No wonder the public confidence that this leadership enjoyed even a few months ago is now on the wane.