The Hindu : BJP will form Govt. in U.P.: Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2002

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National

BJP will form Govt. in U.P.: Advani
By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW, FEB. 18. The Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, today expressed optimism about the formation of a BJP-led government after the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh but added that he was not confident of getting a clear majority.

Talking to newspersons before leaving Lucknow for his election campaign, Mr. Advani said the verdict in U.P. would not be as fractured as it was in 1996. And the results would enable his party to form the next government.

He said that among the issues that would decide the outcome of the elections, an important factor was the ability of the leadership of the three major contenders for power - the BJP, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party - to run the affairs of the State. People in U.P. had experienced how governments had functioned under the Chief Ministers belonging to the three parties. They would compare for themselves and decide which was most efficient.

The Union Home Minister said the performance of the BJP-led Government at the Centre on national security and the policy of the National Democratic Alliance had also created a positive impression on the voters. National security and terrorism might or might not be State issues, but these were the issues which touched people everywhere alike.

On India's policy towards Pakistan, Mr. Advani said India would not go by the statements coming from the Pakistani leadership. The situation would instead be judged by what steps Pakistan had taken to respond to Indian concerns on the ground level.

India had raised five major issues with Pakistan, including closure of terrorist camps operating in its territory, stopping of arms supply to terrorists, stopping of financial aid to terrorists and checking infiltration. India had demanded the handing over of 20 most wanted terrorists, whose presence in Pakistan had been confirmed. Red corner alert notices had already been issued by the Interpol against 15 of them. Pakistan, however, failed to take any action. The situation could be judged only by examining Pakistan's action.

Mr. Advani, however, welcomed the pronouncements of the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, against theocratic zealots. His statement that terrorism could not be allowed in the name of ``fight in Kashmir'' was also welcome in the wider perspective. This was the first time that any Pakistani leader had issued such statements.

He described the deportation of the main accused in the attack on the American Center in Kolkata by the UAE Government as a major success of Indian efforts at the diplomatic level to curb terrorism.

`Previous Govts neglected terrorism'

PTI reports from Gyanpur:

Mr. Advani made a scathing attack on the previous governments at the Centre for ``neglecting'' the issue of terrorism and alleged that they were responsible for the spread of the menace affecting national security and development.

``The Vajpayee Government is the first to focus attention on tackling terrorism. Earlier governments did not bother much about the menace which led to an atmosphere of insecurity,'' he said addressing an election meeting.

Asserting that the Vajpayee Government's concerted efforts led to unearthing of several ISI camps in the country, he asked political parties to stay away from criminals as they were ``breeding grounds for anti-national elements harming national security''.

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