The Hindu : Early Gujarat polls in people's interest: BJP chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 12, 2002

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National

Early Gujarat polls in people's interest: BJP chief

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Aug. 11. The BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, said here today that Assembly polls in Gujarat should be held at the earliest as postponing them was not in the interest of the people. It was better that an elected Assembly and an elected Chief Minister took charge to end the uncertainty and allegations and also to strengthen democracy.

Addressing his first press conference here after assuming office as the BJP president, Mr. Naidu, whose reaction was sought to the Chief Election Commissioner's remarks on Saturday against the Gujarat administration, declined to say anything till the Election Commission went on record. The arguments of the political rivals of the BJP showed their panic.

Welcoming the Election Commission's decision to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the BJP would contest on its own.

To a question, Mr. Naidu denied that there was any scam in the allotment of petrol pumps. Some revelations had been made and the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, had taken the bold step of cancelling the allotments, he said, asserting that this would not affect the party's image.

He wanted a transparent system to be evolved for the allotment of pumps and appealed to the Opposition to allow Parliament to function and help evolve such a system.

"There is no question of my Minister (the Petroleum Minister, Ram Naik) resigning," he said. When his attention was drawn to the opposition in the party to the cancellation of the allotments, he said one individual MP did not represent the party rank and file.

Mr. Vajpayee had taken the decision in the larger national interest and they had to go by it.

Asked if more Ministers would be drafted for party work, he said Mr. Vajpayee had told him that if he identified anybody for party work, it would be considered positively. He had certain ideas on the restructuring of some State units and was discussing it with the Prime Minister.

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