The Hindu : National / Elections 2004 : NDA will return to power, says Fernandes

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Saturday, Apr 24, 2004

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National - Elections 2004

NDA will return to power, says Fernandes

MUZZAFARPUR (BIHAR), APRIL 23. The Defence Minister and NDA convener, George Fernandes, has said the ruling alliance would return to power in the general elections.

``The NDA is definitely going to have a majority, there is no doubt about it at all. The very first round has shown that it is 70-30 so there is no question of the NDA not getting a majority. The only question is what will be the size of the majority,'' Mr. Fernandes said on the sidelines of a campaign rally here on Friday.

The NDA would continue to take smaller parties into it as it wanted to expand its base. ``It is not that the NDA wants other parties or other groups to come to us because we won't be able to form a government or we won't have a majority. It is that we would certainly like the base of the NDA to keep expanding,'' Mr. Fernandes said. He said smaller parties would flock to the NDA when realised that the Congress was not be able to form the government. ``No, people do not discuss these issues. There are parties, which were winners and have gone away and once they see that it is not the Congress, which is forming the government.''

ANI

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