| Advani was addressing a rally in Agra as part of his Bharat Uday Yatra. The line of argument taken by Advani was suggested repeatedly to the BJP leadership by leaders like Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmay-anand, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Jaunpur and believes that the BJP must make a distinctive break from its image in UP that it is in cahoots with the Yadav government. |
| Chinmayanand and others believe that this perception could have the effect of driving away a whole section of dedicated BJP supporters, who are angry with the manner in which Yadav is running the state, and upset that the BJP by implication is supporting an apparently corrupt and lawless regime. |
| Advani denied that the BJP had a soft corner for the UP chief minister. "There is no soft corner for Mulayam Singh Yadav," Advani said. |
| "The way my colleagues describe the state of affairs in UP is painful. The law and order situation is bad. I am really concerned about governance in the state," said the Deputy Prime Minister, who also holds the Home portfolio. |
| On the foreign origin of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, he said it was not a personal but a political issue. Advani said during the Congress rule the country remained backward and termed the party's criticism of the "India Shining" campaign ridiculous. |
| On the VHP's criticism of the BJP's stand on the Ram temple issue and its vision document, he said "all Sangh Parivar constituents are working for us." |
| Asserting that the BJP would not project Ram temple as a major election issue, Advani said talks were on resolve the imbroglio. Advani said he was sure the Ayodhya tangle would be resolved amicably. |
| Advani said Hindu-Muslim relations in the country were affected by wars and the proxy war with Pakistan even though these were not defined by Indo-Pak ties. |
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