BJP is prepared for early general polls

New Delhi: Although threats of early polls have considerably subsided, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) says it is prepared for the eventuality.

The party is convinced that given the deep differences between the ruling United Progressive Alliance and its key Left Front allies, early polls may only have been deferred by a few months.

Early polls had emerged as a possibility with hardening of stand by both the Congress party that heads the UPA and the Marxists over the contentious Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

The BJP dubs the ongoing efforts to find a conciliatory path a positive indication for itself since it has come out of their mutual fear of defeat at the hands of the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The central election committee of the BJP will meet later this month to start preparations for early polls.

Among the strategies being discussed is to move a motion of no-confidence against the government during the Monsoon session of Parliament scheduled to begin in August, expand the list of its allies in the NDA and finalise its list of possible candidates well in advance.

Party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the BJP-led NDA's victory is certain considering they have already announced candidature of a mature, experience and nationalist leader Lal Krishna Advani as their prime ministerial candidate, while there is no clarity about who will become the prime minister in the event of the UPA managing to retain power.

New allies

BJP has also decided to intensify its hunt for new allies and is currently in dialogue with two erstwhile allies, the Indian National Lok Dal of Haryana and Asom Gana Parishad of Assam.

Likewise, it has also approached the Trinamool Congress of West Bengal and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazha-gam of Tamil Nadu for possible pre-poll alliances.

Naqvi said the party may announce its list of about 250 nominees next month.

The party is also ready with its core issues for launching campaigning. It is three 'I's, namely inflation, internal security and incompetence of the incumbent federal government on various fronts.