BJP leaders ask cadre to be ready for early polls

Amid growing infighting among senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for the party's choice as the prime ministerial candidate, senior leadership has asked cadre to remain united and prepare for early Lok Sabha elections, as the Union government is in a "suicidal mode".

In the absence of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, even on the last day of the two-day national executive in the capital, the party leadership tried to put forward a united face of BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). It asked its members to learn from the mistakes of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on corruption, infighting among senior ministers and lack of leadership in the Union government. It also directed senior leaders to keep their allies together because the Congress-led UPA government might not complete its term.

"We must learn from the mistakes of Congress Party and we must not repeat the same mistakes, there should be unity within the party, we should also keep our allies together and try to expand NDA so that more political parties join hands against the UPA government," said Sushma Swaraj, leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, in her speech at the national executive.

Senior BJP leaders clarified that there were no issues between LK Advani and Narendra Modi. Serious differences have cropped up between Advani and Modi after the former deputy prime minister decided to start his yatra from Bihar and not Gujarat. Modi believes it is Advani's attempt to project himself as a prime ministerial candidate.

Meanwhile, sensing that the UPA government was in the midst of allegations of corruption and possible infighting, Advani asked the party leadership to start preparing for the Lok Sabha elections.