The Hindu : BJP to flash Atal, development cards in polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 15, 2004

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Other States - Madhya Pradesh

BJP to flash Atal, development cards in polls

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL, FEB. 14. The Bharatiya Janata Party will go all out to seek the people's mandate in the coming Lok Sabha elections by focusing on the issue of "development and stability'' and the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's "matchless'' leadership. The BJP spokesman, Prakash Jawdekar, made this assertion at a press conference at the party's headquarters here today after addressing a State-level workshop of the party media cell.

He said the BJP campaign for the parliamentary elections would revolve round Mr. Vajpayee's "matchless'' stature as a leader. "The Prime Minister, who has a spotless and clean image, is respected by all citizens for his immense sacrifice, experience, maturity and ability to move ahead by taking everyone together," Mr. Jawdekar emphasised.

Mr. Jawdekar told newsmen that one of the BJP's main slogans during the upcoming elections would be "Vajpayee jaisa koi nahin''. The BJP copywriters did not have to go too far to coin this one, lifting it from the popular current television serial "Jassi Jaisa Koi Nahin''.

The BJP, Mr. Jawdekar said, would seek a vote on the basis of the performance of the BJP-led NDA Government. The election agenda has already been set by the people who have realised that there is no threat to secularism in this country after Mr. Vajpayee took over as Prime Minister, he observed.

The BJP spokesman further said that the Congress party neither has the leadership nor any issue to contest the coming elections. It is due to this reason that the Congress party is now hurling the baseless charge that the BJP was trying to block the Congress move to enter into an electoral alliance with some regional parties, he said.

While the Congress party has been describing the coming General Election as the process for electing the members of Parliament, the BJP would be asking the people to elect Mr. Vajpayee for another term as Prime Minister, Mr. Jawdekar said adding that the old Congress slogan that it is the only party that can provide stability has now lost its relevance.

On BJP's much-hyped "feel good'' factor, Mr. Jawdekar said that the country's economic growth this year as been above 8 per cent which is in sharp contrast to the economic growth of just about 3.5 per cent during the previous Congress regime. The positive impact of the growth in the real gross domestic product (GDP) is being felt by all sections of the people and is contributing to the feel good factor, he pointed out.

To a pointed query, Mr. Jawdekar said that BJP's identity is closely associated with Hindutva and its stand on the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Article 370 of the Constitution and Common Civil Code remains unchanged. However the BJP will be contesting the coming General Election on a common NDA programme, he reiterated.

He also defended the "India Shining'' advertisement campaign saying that it was a part of the India Development Initiative for which the budget was already approved by Parliament.

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