The Hindu : `BJP running a dubious campaign'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 01, 2004

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National

`BJP running a dubious campaign'

By Our Special Correspondent

PATNA, FEB. 29. Welcoming the poll schedule, the Rashtriya Janata Dal president, Laloo Prasad Yadav, today said the secular forces had several leaders qualified for the top post.

Talking to reporters here, Mr. Yadav charged the BJP with running a dubious campaign demanding that the Opposition declare its leadership like the National Democratic Alliance, which had reposed faith in the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Reminding the BJP and its allies that elected members should choose the Prime Minister, Mr. Yadav said the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, had made sacrifices and was fit for the top post and so were Ram Vilas Paswan, Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The NDA Government, he alleged, had violated the moral code of conduct, but the secular forces would abide by it and cooperate with the Election Commission in the conduct of a fair and free election

Referring to the three-phase poll in Bihar, Mr. Yadav said that it would facilitate movement of forces and that 50 days of campaigning was sufficient to rout the BJP.

According to Mr. Yadav, the JD(U) president and Defence Minister, George Fernandes, and the Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Sharad Yadav were `outsiders' and would be driven away from Bihar. Mr. Fernandes represents Nalanda and Mr. Sharad Yadav, Madhepura.

Mr. Yadav said he would contest from Chapra against the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

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