BJP's poll preparedness hardly visible

The farmers' rally organised today by the BJP at the Ram Lila grounds here was supposed to signal the party's readiness to take on the government given the imminence of a mid-term poll.

But what it demonstrated today was that even if the Congress-led government appears to be in trouble, the BJP's own internal troubles are far from over.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was supposed to address the rally and set the mood for preparations for a mid-term poll, failed to turn up.

Party president Rajnath Singh overturned decades-old speech-giving protocol in the party by making the last speech. The honour is usually reserved for L K Advani in the absence of Vajpayee.

Advani, Rajnath and former party president Murli Manohar Joshi made stock speeches on the plight of farmers.

While the crowd was sizeable, the speeches were hardly inspiring. Advani's speech swung from India's nuclear sovereignty, which was reportedly being endangered by the present government, to the plight of farmers. He took some time to dwell on the current troubles of the government.