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Advani claims NDA will sweep the poll

Amberish K Diwanji in New Delhi

The National Democratic Alliance today launched its electoral campaign with Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, the campaign chief, addressing the press and outlining the alliance's thrust.

"In 1998, we appealed to voters on the basis of our promises. This time we are showcasing the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government's performance over the past 16 months," he declared.

Advani said the NDA was confident that the government's performance would help it sweep the polls this time, giving the alliance a big majority that would not be susceptible to threats from critical allies and untrustworthy friends.

"The last government fell because one unhappy partner pulled out and our majority was too narrow to overcome that pullout. This time we are seeking a mandate for a secure majority," he said.

He pointed out that in 1998, the people were fed up with the Congress's 45 years of misrule and the few attempts by the so-called Third Front, all of which had failed the people.

"The best proof of the Congress's misrule is that while all the other South-east Asian countries have surged ahead of us, our country continues to languish in the Human Development Index. This is what the Congress has achieved in its 45 years. That is why the people decided to give us a chance," he stated.

Advani said it was his perception that while voters were earlier a cynical and frustrated lot, the 16 months of the Vajpayee government had changed all that. "Now voters are not cynical and once again have faith in the political field."

He added that the BJP would highlight its many achievements over the past 16 months, from Pokhran to Kargil.

He denied that intelligence failure had led to the Kargil conflict. "Kargil happened because the Pakistanis intruded into India and not because of any other reason," he claimed.

He added that a committee had been set up to see if there had been any intelligence failure.

"I would like to point out what the Congress had said when we first carried out the nuclear tests last year at Pokhran. The Congress said there was no security threat to the nation and that our action was hasty and had isolated India from the rest of the world," he said.

"In fact, our decision to go nuclear was well thought out, keeping in mind the threat our country faced, and subsequent events only proved how right we were. And our government's handling of the Kargil situation has won India more support in the world than any other action thus far," he declared.

He lambasted the Congress stand during the Kargil war. "The constant carping and criticism of the Congress, at a time when our brave soldiers were dying on the front and all for petty politics, has won the Congress unstinted support in Pakistan!" he quipped. "Any visitor to Pakistan will tell you that during the Kargil war, the Pakistani press and public was constantly quoting what the Congress had to say about the war. Instead of helping the nation, they were playing politics."

He also flayed the Congress for defeating the Vajpayee government in the Lok Sabha without having an alternative in place. "The Vajpayee government has proved to be the best government so far," he claimed, "and the people will not forgive the Congress and the opportunistic parties who passed the no-confidence motion by just one vote," he declared.

The BJP politician blasted the Communists for aligning with the Congress as their "pall-bearers". He warned that by doing so, the Communist parties were only signing their own death warrants.

"During the Emergency, the Communist Party of India supported the Congress while the Communist Party of India (Marxist) stayed neutral. The result was that the CPI was wiped out, but not the CPI-M. Now, if the CPI-M joins the Congress, it will suffer the same fate," he predicted.

Advani said the Communists believe in the politics of 'demonology', which makes it essential to demonise someone. "For years, the Communists flayed the capitalists and went around saying that once the capitalists were destroyed, everything would be fine. They constantly criticised the US and the UK. But after the fall of Communism across the world, they needed someone else to demonise and they have chosen the BJP. It will not help them," he said.

The former BJP president insisted that there would be no problem in tying up with the Janata Dal (United) in Karnataka and denied that he was opposing the tie-up. "We will incorporate the Janata Dal out of respect for many of our colleagues in the NDA," he said, "and the process will be over in a day or two."

He insisted that in the past year and a half, no major communal violence had taken place throughout the country. "In fact, over the past decade, 1998 and 1999 have been the most peaceful years. And when a macabre incident occurred in Orissa (the Staines murders), we ordered an inquiry of the same level as the Rajiv Gandhi assassination -- a sitting Supreme Court judge. But now, after the commission's verdict has come out, the Congress is doubting the fairness of the judge," he said.

The home minister blamed the Orissa government for its inability to capture the main suspect, Dara Singh.

He also declared that corruption would be an issue, even if no party raises it during the election. "We in the BJP believe it is because of the rampant corruption in the country that India has failed to achieve its full potential," he said.

The NDA will release its manifesto on August 16.

Meanwhile, other BJP politicians have questioned the propriety of the Delhi high court asking the Union Cabinet to seek Parliament's approval of the changed telecom policy. "Parliament's job is to legislate, not worry about rules and licence fees, so why do we need its approval," asked one.

The politician said that regardless of which government came to power, they would have no choice but to change the telecom policy from licence-fee to revenue-sharing basis.

"Even if the Communists form the government, they will have no choice. The alternative is to shut down the telecom sector. All the noises are just politics," he said.

But the BJP is upbeat at the government being allowed to launch the 24-hour Doordarshan news and current affairs channel. "The information and broadcasting minister told the Election Commission that if the DD news channel was launched after the election, who would watch it? The biggest news in India is the election and it makes total business sense to launch it before the election. The EC had no choice but to agree," the BJP politician said.

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