The Hindu : Rahul, Priyanka will make no difference: Mahajan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2004

National

National

Rahul, Priyanka will make no difference: Mahajan

By J.P. Shukla

LUCKNOW, MARCH 29. The Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary, Pramod Mahajan, today said that the entry of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra into politics would make no material change in the Lok Sabha election results. The Gandhi children might have some influence on voters in constituencies from where they themselves might decide to contest but would have no impact elsewhere, he said.

Mr. Mahajan told newspersons that there was no need for the BJP to pay attention to Mr. Gandhi's candidature and it would be better if Ms. Vadra also decided to enter the electoral arena from a constituency of her choice. That would end the suspense over her entry into politics and the issue would not come up again to create a hype during the 2009 elections.

In Uttar Pradesh, according to Mr. Mahajan, the Congress would not touch the two-digit-mark. If the party won more than five seats, it would be a miracle.

He said the National Democratic Alliance decision that the next government would be a government of the BJP-led alliance was the most important factor favouring the BJP. The image of the Prime Minister and the performance of his Government during the last five years were other positive factors favouring the NDA.

The Opposition, on the other hand, was incapable of providing an alternative. Issues such as inadequate power and water supply, unemployment and bad roads were negative factors influencing the election outcome, but voters realised that the Union Government was not responsible for these problems.

Earlier, Mr. Mahajan addressed a meeting of the party candidates, district BJP office-bearers, conveners and MLAs to discuss campaign strategy. The candidates were given a kit that would help them launch a high-profile campaign. Mr. Mahajan said kits had been prepared for each constituency on the basis of a survey, giving details of vote-structure, caste combination, results of last elections and the assessment of voters' choice.

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