The Hindu : Parties welcome poll schedule

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

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National

Parties welcome poll schedule

By Our New Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI, FEB. 29. Political parties have welcomed the announcement of the poll schedule by the Election Commission and the Opposition said the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct from today should put an end to the advertisement campaign by the ruling coalition at the Centre. The Bharatiya Janata Party president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, said the party was ready for the polls and predicted a "big victory.''

Talking to The Hindu from interior Maharashtra over phone, Mr. Naidu said the BJP's first phase of campaigning till the announcement of poll dates has already reached the people. On campaign through television and radio, banned under the Cable Television Network Act, Mr. Naidu said there was no question of challenging the Election Commission's direction. Mr. Naidu said he has scheduled a meeting at his residence here tomorrow which would be attended by the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, the Law Minister, Arun Jaitley, and the party's general secretary, Pramod Mahajan.He would call on the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, later in the day. The selection of candidates was expected to take up much time of the leadership.

The Congress too welcomed the announcement of the poll schedule as also the several suggestions made by the Commission, including emphasis on the need for political parties to refrain from violence and indulging in personal attacks.Responding to the appeal to field candidates who did not have any criminal antecedents, the party promised that it would do its best to see that such persons were denied ticket. "It does not mean we would be cent per cent successful... but would try our level best,'' the party chief spokesperson, Kapil Sibal, said.

Mr. Sibal said that in the next two months, two important matches would be held — the cricket series in Pakistan, starting March 13, and the general elections in the country, starting April 20. "If we keep it in mind and play them in the spirit of the game, we can enjoy in the field of sports and democracy will triumph,'' he said.

On the Model Cde of Conduct he said it would go a long way in ensuring a free and fair polls and eventually make everyone take pride in the nation's democracy.Welcoming the move to curtail advertisement on television, the party said it had opposed the "India Shining'' campaign on the grounds that the taxpayers' money was being used for the purpose. With the move the campaign would come to a halt, it hoped.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) welcomed the declaration of the election schedule and immediate implementation of the Model Code of Conduct.

Commenting on the four phase polls, Politburo member, S. Ramachandran Pillai, said the Commission would have taken into consideration the situation as it exists in each State and had "tried to do justice within constraints.''

The CPI(M) had, among other things, suggested that the polling dates should not clash with school examinations and that in West Bengal they would not be complete till April 26.The State goes to the polls on May 5.

Mr. Pillai said with the code of conduct coming into force, the Government should end its advertisements.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) said the announcement would put an end to the "unethical'' advertisement campaign by the National Democratic Alliance Government.

The party's national secretary, D. Raja, said the Commission could have avoided staggering of the polls in phases, especially in Andhra Pradesh. The CPI had suggested one-day poll in the State.

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