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Thakre to launch BJP's assembly poll campaign on January 18

Bharatiya Janata Party president Kushabhau Thakre will launch his pre-election tour of the four states from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh on January 18.

During his two-day tour of the city, he will hold meetings with state and district leaders to chalk out an action plan for the coming assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and Sikkim.

Accompanied by party general secretary and spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu, Thakre will proceed to Goa from there. On January 23 he will hold meetings at Panaji and at Hubli in Karnataka for the next two days.

Announcing the tour programme of the party president, Naidu said state units have been directed to organise political camps for party cadre and complete the exercise by February 10 so that the party could launch a nationwide campaign from Feburary 11.

These political camps will be attended by one BJP minister and a senior leader from the Centre to enable the party cadre understand the party's stand on various important issues, he said.

Naidu said since the national executive in Bangalore, there was now ''greater clarity'' on issues and ''the government and the party now have a perfect understanding.''

He refuted media reports that there was confrontation between the party and the government on issues like the Insurance Regulatory Authority bill and the patents bill.

''There was no problem and all issues were discussed at the meeting and there is a clear-cut message from Bangalore that there is no conflict or confrontation between the party and the government,'' he said.

Criticising the Congress, Naidu said the party had violated the Pachmarhi resolution by allotting tickets for the recent Madhya Pradesh assembly elections to those allegedly involved in the Jhabua rape case.

''On the other hand, the BJP tried to put into practice whatever it says,'' Naidu asserted.

UNI

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