15 Nov 2002

ADVANI DOUBTS BJP'S VICTORY IN GUJARAT

From Our Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI: Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani has ultimately admitted, though indirectly, that he has his own doubts about the BJP retaining power in Gujarat.

Apparently in view of these doubts that are shared by many in the BJP headquarters worried at the damage inflicted by Chief Minister Narendra Modi to the party's image of providing the riot-free rule, Advani sought to deny any bearing of the outcome of the Assembly elections in Gujarat on the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre.

Asked specifically at a Press conference in Ranchi, the state headquarters of Jharkhand celebrating its second year of formation, about impact of the Gujarat polls on the Centre, Advani was quoted as snapping back that "state elections do not have an impact on the Central government."

All the same he stressed that the Gujarat elections are important for the party as he said for that matter elections in a state were important essentially because every state in the country was spread over a large area and Gujarat was not a small area. "It is a large state. It is an important state and has its own significance," he said.

Advani has been harping that the BJP would be seeking votes on the basis of performance of its government both at the Centre and in the state and as such his attempt to deny impact of the Gujarat polls on the Centre only shows his own assessment not favourable to the BJP's victory.

His remarks clearly shows that he is not sure of the BJP winning the elections hands down as the party leaders try to pretend pointing out that the train burning and post-Godhra riots had polarised Hindu voters and this polarisation will be further strengthened by the Election Commission's ban on the religious yatra VHP was planning to take out in Gujarat from Friday.

Advani, however, wriggled out when asked to comment on the VHP deciding to defy the ban and even rejecting the Prime Minister's appeal to call off the "Yatra", pointing out that he being part of the Government would not comment and moreover it was for the sate government to take appropriate action.

"It is for the VHP to comment and may be for my party to do so. I do not comment on the Election Commission decision being a member of the government." Asked if he had talked to the VHP in this connection, Advani said he had neither spoken to any VHP leader nor would he like to do so. END