CWG opening ceremony was dazzling: Advani

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani on Monday described the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony as “spectacular and dazzling” but maintained that this did not mean the principal opposition would give up its campaign against alleged corruption in the Games preparations.”Yesterday when I saw the opening (ceremony), it was a spectacular show. Dazzling, no doubt about it. And I congratulated Shiela Dikshit, I congratulated Suresh Kalmadi and all those whom I met,” Advani told PTI.The senior leader attended the ceremony along with his wife Kamala, daughter Pratibha and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, among others.He reiterated that as an Indian, he felt proud of the Games and wanted it to be a success. However, he insisted that this did not mean BJP would give up its campaign against corruption in the Games projects and the party would pursue it after the event is over.”I am not happy with all the reports that I have read. Particularly that there has been corruption. But as an Indian I would like these Games to be successful,” he said.The senior leader maintained that he looked at the whole issue of wrong-doings in the preparations differently.”I view it in a different way. Wherever Games have been held in the past. Any big sporting event whether in China, Australia, anywhere. For six-eight months, the country is hailed and praised… that this has been completed, that stadium has been completed. But here for six-eight months we have been losing face. Everything was negative,” Advani said.advertisementHe indicated that Organising Committee Chairperson Suresh Kalmadi may not be the only one under a cloud of suspicion.Recalling the events of 2003 when India got the right to hold Games when NDA was in power, Advani said that the BJP-led government had then taken a Cabinet decision that the accomodation for the Games should later be converted into hostels for Delhi University students but the UPA government overturned it.Advani, who had stated this in one of his recent blogs, said Kalmadi had called him later to complain.”I also got a call from Suresh Kalmadi saying you have also written against me. I said I have not written against you. I have written against the government. Our government took one decision and your government changed it. I do not know if you were a party to the decision,” he said.- With inputs from PTI