Karnataka - Bangalore   

No post-poll alliance: Advani

BANGALORE: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani on Saturday ruled out the possibility of a post-poll alliance in the State by declaring that the party would sit in the Opposition if it failed to get a clear mandate in the Assembly elections to form the government on its own.

“I am optimistic of getting a clear and comfortable majority. But, unless we are able to muster a majority and form the government on our own, we would prefer to sit in the Opposition,” Mr. Advani said at a press conference here before winding up his two-day visit to the State.

He appealed to the people to give “one chance” to the BJP to rule the State on its own. “You have tried the Congress for many years; you have tried various forms of the Janata Dal. But your problems have not been solved. You give one opportunity to the BJP. We will strive to convert swaraj (self-governance) into suraj (good governance).”

Mr. Advani claimed that the people of the State were gradually moving towards the BJP. The BJP would not be satisfied with just a mandate in its favour, the party wanted a clear mandate.

He said the people of the State had an “obligation” to ensure that a hung Assembly did not emerge this time like it did in 2004. Comparing the fractured verdict to a “computer virus”, he said, “The virus of opportunism and betrayal by the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) played havoc with governance and development in Karnataka.”

“People have a strong and effective anti-virus software in their possession — their valuable vote,” Mr. Advani said.

He sought to play down the party’s failure to provide representation to minorities in the nomination of candidates. The minorities, especially Muslims, had now realised that they had been used as vote banks by the Congress, he said.

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