The Hindu : National : Why Sonia, asks Kalyan Singh

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Monday, May 17, 2004

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National

Why Sonia, asks Kalyan Singh

By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW, MAY 16. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Kalyan Singh, said today that the day the Congress leader, Sonia Gandhi, takes over as prime minister, would be regarded a "black day" in the history of India.

Talking to presspersons at the State BJP office here, Mr. Singh said that during the elections the Congress never projected Ms. Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate. While the Congress had won support to rule the country, it never got a mandate to install Ms. Gandhi as the prime minister. It was, therefore, betrayal of the country, he said. Mr. Kalyan Singh, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, said there was no dearth of leaders in the Congress to occupy the high post. Making "the foreigner Sonia" the prime minister was a "deliberate insult" to the entire nation, he alleged. The Congress would be forced to realise its "mistake" within six months.

Referring to the Lok Sabha election results, he said the BJP had been defeated but it was no disappointment. It had increased its tally from two seats to more than 180 since 1980. Even now, its number was only seven short of that of the Congress. A concerted attempt would be made to revitalise the party.

It was a matter of concern that all other issues in Uttar Pradesh had been overshadowed by the caste factor. He blamed the Samajwadi Party for alleged misuse of the official machinery to favour its candidates.

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