The Hindu : India adores and world admires Vajpayee, says Mahajan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 25, 2004

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National

India adores and world admires Vajpayee, says Mahajan

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, JAN. 24. The Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary, Pramod Mahajan, today sought early elections to the Lok Sabha. "In the wake of the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in the first week of February, the Election Commission should give the people of this country the chance to decide on the next Government at the earliest," Mr. Mahajan said.

"The bugle for the Lok Sabha elections has been sounded. The session starting on January 29 will be the last of the 13th Lok Sabha," Mr. Mahajan told newspersons here. The Election Commission could decide on the poll schedule only after the dissolution of the present Lok Sabha. However, once the Lok Sabha is dissolved, there should not be any delay, he said.

"We hope the Election Commission would take only the minimum time to announce the poll schedule. It is the duty of the Commission to hold early polls. The ball is now in the EC's court."

He said the BJP was in favour of holding the elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies together. "The party thinks that all the elections due in 2004 should be held together so that people's money and time will be saved." The Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim Governments had already decided on early elections while Orissa, Maharashtra and Karnataka were considering the option. "We feel it would be proper if Maharashtra and Karnataka, where elections are due in October, too agree for early elections to the State Assemblies," he added.

Mr. Mahajan said the National Democratic Alliance would be seeking an "improved mandate" from the people this time on three issues: the leadership of the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the capacity to provide a stable Government on the basis of five years of governance and performance. "It is five years of the NDA versus 50 years of the Congress."

The Congress had no leader, no programme for the people and no issue. On the other hand, the NDA had a leader like Mr. Vajpayee, a track record of providing a stable government and high performance levels. "Mr. Vajpayee is the man India adores and the world admires," he said.

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