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BJP has proved it can govern: Naidu
Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi |
March 20, 2003 20:56 IST
Bharatiya Janata Party president M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday listed reduction of terrorist recruits in Jammu and Kashmir and electoral transparency as the National Democratic Alliance government's significant achievements at the end of its five-year rule.
Contrary to the claims of the opposition, notably the Congress, the BJP had proved that it was not only acceptable, but capable of ruling, he said in New Delhi.
"First the Vajpayee government ruled for 13 days, then 13 months and now I feel that after successfully completing five years, it can go on to rule for 13 years," he said.
"There is a feel-good factor in our favour," he said expressing happiness that it was the first time that a non-Congress government had ruled at the Centre for five uninterrupted years.
The government had decided to focus on speedy and equitable development and the BJP would take its allies into confidence regarding other initiatives, he said.
He said due to the efforts of the NDA government, the Kashmir issue was no longer the 'central agenda' of international community.
This was because the government had earned the international community's praise by holding free and fair polls in J&K, he added.
He said most of the terrorists in J&K were foreigners.
"The BJP has become more and more acceptable and Vajpayeeji is the unquestioned leader of the country," he said.
Naidu also referred to the Antodaya Scheme, which, he said, had covered 150 million people living below the poverty line.
The government would strive to pass the Women's Reservation Bill during the budget session of Parliament, he said.
He also referred to the measures taken to improve the lot of the weaker sections, including the dalits, through constitutional amendments.
On the economic front, he said tax laws had been simplified, the five-year inflation average was around three per cent and foreign exchange reserve was at an unprecedented $75 billion.
Besides, the government had taken various initiatives to develop infrastructure, including highways and railways. Teleconnectivity had doubled with millions of new telephone connections and the country had witnessed a revolution in the information technology sector, the BJP chief said.
He said the BJP would hold a rally on March 29 to focus on the government's achievements and discuss future challenges.