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Stable govt and able PM: BJP's plank

The Bharatiya Janata Party's election plank this time will be a ''stable government and able prime minister'', party vice-president Krishan Lal Sharma announced today.

He said the party is in touch with former Karnataka chief ministers Ramakrishna Hegde and Bangarappa and West Bengal Congress leader Mamata Banerjee for possible tie-ups.

He, however, made it clear that any electoral alliance will have to be finalised before the election and all those willing to ''join hands with us should know what the BJP stands for''.

Claiming that so far only the BJP had started its campaign with clarity on policies and issues, he said the United Front and the Congress were ''groping in the dark'' over these issues. They do not know which course to tread, he added.

Referring to the prevailing ''contradictory stand'' adopted by different UF constituents, Sharma said they were unable to decide whether to join hands with the Congress or not.

There are serious differences of opinion on these issues within the UF, he claimed.

Urging all political parties to state their stand on the Ayodhya issue, he said a stable government at the Centre would be ''good'' for the Muslims.

As for the Congress, he said, ''We do not want any tie-up with the Congress. Our mission is to replace the Congress.''

Asked when the process of consultation with regional parties and Banerjee had begun, he said, ''During the 11th Lok Sabha itself.''

UNI

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