Suspense on LS polls continues

Adding fuel to the rumours about the change of mind in BJP leadership on the timing of elections, after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior general secretary Pramod Mahajan hinted at the early elections yesterday, Muktar Abbas Naqvi, another general secretary, yesterday said that the issue of going for early polls has not yet been discussed in the party forum.

"The party's working committee is yet discuss the issue. All the related issues will come up tomorrow when we take up our 'Mission-2004' for discussion in the national executive. The Prime Minister will announce his opinion at the working committee meet tomorrow," he said, clarifying on the early polls.

Refusing to comment further or add anything to what Mahajan had already said, Naqvi said, "fifty- fifty," on the chances for early elections to the Lok Sabha. He was also non-committal on the fifty-fifty chances, stating it was for the government and the election commission to take a decision on election schedule.

He announced that a committee would be formed with party leaders to look into the potential issues for the BJP election agenda. "BJP will fight the election on the agenda of development," he broadly said.

The NDA leadership under prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had successfully put an end to the atmosphere of tension and laid a strong path of development for the nation. He said that seven BJP chief ministers leaders participated the first-day deliberations.