NEW DELHI: The overheated grapevine at the close of election season put conspiracy theorists in clover on Wednesday when charge d'affaires of the
US embassy, Peter Burleigh, drove over to visit BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani. He had met senior leader Venkaiah Naidu earlier this week. Coming on the last day of the five-phase elections, the visit to Advani expectedly raised eyebrows. ( Watch )

Some in political circles looked askance at the engagements of US diplomats, with many wondering whether the flurry of activity had to do with American fears about the fate of the nuclear deal.

Naidu said that the controversial civil nuclear energy agreement, along with the situation in Pakistan, did figure in Burleigh's meeting with Advani. He, however, added that the deal was not the main issue. "We are more concerned about Pakistan misusing American help and he (Burleigh) said all our combined efforts should be to see that Taliban is totally vanquished," Naidu said.

With speculation mills working overtime, a spokesperson of the US embassy asserted, "The US categorically denies any attempts to interfere in India's democratic political process."

American diplomats have met nearly all the leaders of major political parties during these elections. Just last week, Burleigh was in Mumbai to meet leaders of Maharashtra-based parties like NCP's Sharad Pawar and in Hyderabad to meet N Chandrababu Naidu of TDP. When approached by TOI, Naidu said Burleigh's was a courtesy call and the American diplomat had met others also. "Diplomats are not so naive as to believe that they can influence policy decisions in India," he said.

The US embassy has been on an election overdrive, said sources, under direct instructions from secretary of state Hillary Clinton. The office here has been instructed to follow the elections carefully, because she wants to be among the first foreign dignitaries to visit India after the new government has been formed. According to diplomatic sources, US President Barack Obama has said he would pick up the US-India brief after the elections.

Part of the reason why Burleigh visited Advani was also to repair the mistake of his predecessor David Mulford, who didn't bother with Advani, the then leader of Opposition, for several years and only went to see him when the nuclear deal was perched precariously.

Most western diplomats have met Nitish Kumar, the flavour of the season over the past few weeks, in Patna as well as in Delhi. Everybody has tried to meet Mayawati, but by all accounts, most have been rebuffed. Narendra Modi was another favourite for diplomats trying to gauge when the Gujarat supremo would travel to Delhi, and diplomats said that many came away from Ahmedabad with mixed feelings.

British, French and German diplomats too have had their fill of election coverage. Many of the ambassadors and political counsellors have travelled to Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chhattisgarh and parts of Bihar and West Bengal. The intrepid ones have even travelled to the north-east.

But Lucknow proved to be the most exciting of the visits, even though Mayawati would not give them the time of day. "We knew UP was complicated, but after a visit to the state and talks with leaders of every political party there, we found the complications to be more complicated," a diplomat said, ruefully.

But everything is different with the US, in a country acutely conscious of what the US thinks and does.

But this apart, the US predictions on foreign elections have been notoriously offbase. In Palestine, the US famously miscalled the fact that Hamas was winning the elections. In Pakistan, where the US should have known better, it was blindsided by its dislike of Nawaz Sharif. In the latest history of the CIA, `Legacy of Ashes', Tim Weiner says the agency has something of a tradition in miscues on foreign elections.

The legendary East German spymaster, Markus Wolf, once recounted how he ran a mole in the US embassy in New Delhi during the Cold War years. He related to an interviewer that the Americans miscalled the elections where Indira Gandhi bounced back in 1980.

And, as the same grapevine will tell you, the entire diplomatic corps in New Delhi called the 2004 election results wrong -- except the Russians.

Bhopal, May 8 : Senior BJP leader L K Advani on Friday said that he expected his party to emerge as the single largest party after this year’s general elections.

During a stop over at Raja Bhoj Airport here on his way to Kolkata from Chennai, Advani told reporters he had no doubt that the Congress would be left far behind after the elections.

GANDHINAGAR - Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is waiting for Lok Sabha elections to end to implement an elaborate plan to ensure 24 hours water supply in the state capital as a ‘gift’ to Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani, an official said Tuesday.

Advani is seeking re-election for the fifth time from the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. The chief minister is sure of his victory and wants to announce the plan to show his support.

‘The water supply project involves effective utilisation of rain water harvesting methods by the end of 2009 to ensure the state capital never runs out of water,’ a senior official in the chief minister’s office here told IANS on condition of anonymity.

He said building bye-laws would be changed few months after the Lok Sabha poll to make rain water harvesting mandatory for all residential and government buildings in the municipal limits of Gandhinagar.

The government would spend about Rs.3 billion to realise the ambitious project through public-private partnership in which the partner firm would provide the necessary expertise and equipment.

The official said the government would soon call a meeting of senior officials of the Gujarat Urban Development Department to discuss the implementation of the rain water harvesting plan.

Namta Gupta

Lal Krishna Advani is a leader in the middle of a thunderstorm. The 15th Lok Sabha elections would decide not only his fate, but also his party’s standing in the Indian polity. The man, who has always been seen as the Prime Minister in-waiting, now seems to be battling it out for his final chance to claim the summit. These elections in that sense will prove to be a do-or-die for him.

Looking back we find that the BJP front-rung leader is an astute politician whose career stretches over good 50 years. Beginning his political career as a worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, he is credited to have turned the BJP into a formidable force in Indian politics.

The saffron party, political offshoot of RSS, was formed in the year 1980 and had Atal Bihari Vajpayee as its first president. But his brand of Gandhian socialism was recognised as obsolete and gradually, Advani found himself on the centre-stage. His fiery demeanor suited the Hindutva agenda of the RSS, more than Vajpayee’s soft approach towards issues.

This was the time when Shah Bano’s case brought to the fore majority apprehension regarding the state of affairs in India. Ram Janam Bhoomi agitation too was slowly gathering momentum side by side. It was the result of this agitation that the BJP that had won only two seats in 1984 Lok Sabha bagged 88 seats in 1989 general elections. Its golden period came in 1996, when it emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha.

With the Congress faring its worst ever in its political history, the BJP found itself savouring the limelight, thanks to the relentless efforts of Advani. But the crowning glory went in favour of Vajpayee. Why? All because of Advani’s hawkish image, that made him pariah for the party’s coalition partners.

As Home Minister in the Vajpayee government, Advani failed to do justice with his image of an ‘Iron Man’ in view of the terror strikes that India faced. The self-confessed Sardar Patel disciple had to confront the criticism from every quarter when Parliament was attacked in 2001. It was certainly a blot on the NDA regime but the attack on Akshardham Temple in 2002, and then the Kargil and Kandahar episodes undid his image of a tough administrator. Soon, he was left with just a shadow of his former fiery self.

But determined and shrewd that he was, he successfully marginalized growing dissent and was made Deputy Prime Minister on June 29, 2002. But this success was temporary, as the party lost its sheen in 2004 general elections.

Even this loss did not deter him and he tried impossible to garner the same acceptability that was once enjoyed by Vajpayee. The first step towards this goal was his Pakistan visit. Unfortunately, the trip backfired as he heaped praises on the secular credentials of Mohammed Ali Jinnah. This was suicidal and at one time it seemed that his political career was anything but over.

Advani tried his best to put up a brave fight and stood by what he said, at least momentarily, but sensing that his statements have failed to make his party stand by him, he backtracked.

What next?

Putting forth the image of an able administrator, he is wooing the voters hard. A whole new generation of young voters will vote this time and just by lifting dumbles they can’t be won over.

In the wake of terror attacks in Mumbai, he missed the right bus as he refused to travel with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit the city.

What he perhaps lacks is the acceptability and he himself is aware of it. First considered a harbinger of Hindutva he was found praising Jinnah. In trying to earn acceptability, he is doing what he once claimed was the signature style of pseudo secularists, i.e. appeasement. He appears to have lost the distinct identity and that probably is the worst that can happen to any politician.

The image is not the only issue that the saffron party’s torch bearer alone faces. He is fighting not just the Congress outside but also within his own party. The faction-ridden house that the BJP is right now has only made the road to 7, Race Course thornier.

Now, he needs to do mend bridges not just with party colleagues but also with the Third Front leaders. Since it is highly unlikely that any party would get a majority to form the government on its own, he would woo some of the Third Front constituents so that the BJP would call the shots.

Knowing well that this may be his last opportunity, Advani had taken the Congress head on. Whether he loses or wins the situation only time will tell, but the least that his party could do is to stand behind him. That’s the least the party could do for him, and that’s the way it should be.

Ahmedabad, April 29: BJP`s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani and his wife will miss out on voting in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat as the couple`s name does not figure in the voter list of the area due to delimitation exercise.

Advani is contesting for fifth consecutive time from the seat.

The Advani couple would, however, be able to cast their vote in municipal school polling booth in Bharadiavas in Shahpur area, which has become part of newly created Ahmedabad West Parliamentary segment post delimitation.

However, Advani can bank on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi`s vote as the latter`s name figures in the voter list in Ranip, which is in the Gandhinagar Parliamentary constituency.

Ahmedabad (West) is a SC reserved seat where the BJP has fielded Kirit Solanki, who is facing a tough opponent in Shailesh Parmar, Congress candidate and sitting MLA of Shaher Kotda Assembly segment.

Gandhinagar, Apr 28 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani on Tuesday strongly questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation's decision to remove the name of the lone surviving suspect in the Bofors payoff case Ottavio Quattrocchi from the Interpol's list of most wanted persons.

"Overall the performance of CBI in the last five years, it should be investigated. In a way they have become a tool in the hands of political parties," Advani said during a road show in Gandhinagar.

Advani said, "Party (BJP) in New Delhi will discuss the matter, but I want to say that it is not just about Quattrocchi."

The CBI's decision to eliminate Quattrocchi from the most wanted list is expected to be formally conveyed to the court on April 30.

The agency's decision is based on the legal advice of Attorney General Milon Banerjee. On October 28, last year, Banerjee had described the Red Corner Notice (RCN) as " a continued embarrassment."

A newspaper report quoted Banerjee as saying, "The CBI is under obligation to have the matters set right at the Interpol level, as there is no basis on which the Red Corner Notice can continue. I am of the firm opinion that immediate action should be taken to withdraw the notice."

In October 2008, Quattrocchi's counsel had asked the CBI to explain the continuation and legal validity of the Red Corner Notice issued by the Interpol Secretariat General.

When the issue came to CBI's Director (Prosecution) SK Sharma, he said that the notice was no longer applicable as the arrest warrant dated February 6, 1997, on the basis of which the RCN was issued, had been cancelled by a warrant of November 5, 1999.

Sharma suggested that the Law Ministry's opinion be sought on the issue.

Following Sharma's recommendation, the Attorney General observed, "The whole purpose of a warrant of arrest is to secure the presence of the accused. This is possible by extradition when the accused is abroad. But two attempts have failed and the judgements indicate that there are no good grounds for extradition. The warrant cannot remain in force forever. Therefore, the warrant dated February 1997 would lose its validity, particularly in view of the failed attempts of the CBI to extradite the accused in Malaysia and Argentina."

The Bofors scandal was a major corruption scandal in India in the 1980s, when the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and several others were accused of receiving kickbacks from Bofors AB for winning a bid to supply India's 155 mm field howitzer.

The scandal was worth Rs. 150 billion.

JAMTARA: Addressing an election meeting in support of BJP candidate Sunil Soren in this predominantly tribal pocket, NDA's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani on Saturday evening asked people to vote for the BJP so that the party could fulfil the "unfinished tasks" of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Advani reminded people about a host of schemes and projects which were launched during the NDA rule but could not be completed as the alliance was voted out of power. "Please help us regain power so that we fulfil these unfinished tasks," he said.

The senior BJP leader, who arrived here about 150 minutes behind the schedule, appeared visibly tired due to the scorching sun and tight electioneering schedule. His reference to the rising prices seemed to have a direct impact on the audience, comprising mostly poor people, as they complained in unison about the soaring prices of commodities like sugar (Rs 28 per kg) and flour (Rs 20 per kg).

Advani remarked: "The prices of essential commodities are rising fast since the NDA was voted out of power. The cost of sugar, too, is escalating despite the government decision to import sugar. It seems there will be no festivities now as people cannot buy costly sweets due to rise in sugar prices. Buying sweets will be a difficult proposition."

Jamtara, where rice is the staple food for tribals, was suitably picked up for Advani's electioneering as former chief minister Shibu Soren is contesting the assembly by-election from there.

"If we are voted to power, we will provide you rice at Rs 2 per kg," Advani said. He reiterated the BJP resolution to get back the Rs 25000 lakh crore deposited by Indians in the Swiss banks if he becomes the prime minister.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad is also scheduled to arrive here on Sunday.

NEW DELHI, Apr 13 : Politicians continue to play politics with the largely apolitical armed forces. If during the 2004 general elections, the then deputy PM L K Advani promised to raise a Gujarat regiment, then Lok Janshakti Party chief and Union minister Ramvilas Paswan is brandishing a Dalit regiment to garner votes this time.

This flies in the face of the well-considered policy since Independence to not raise any new regiment on the basis of a particular class, creed, community, religion or region but to have an Army in which all Indians have equal representation.

The 1.13-million strong Army is angry with the propensity of politicians to time and again demand changes in its regimental system, which has "stood the test of time" and is "inclusive" in nature, as soon as polls figure on their radar screens.

If some politicians demand regiments of certain communities like a Dalit or an Ahir regiment, others pitch for new regiments based on states like Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Arunachal Pradesh.

"Such demands, or even reservations for SCs and STs, hit at the very ethos of the apolitical and secular Army. We had strongly opposed a religious headcount proposed by the Sachar Committee in 2005-2006 since it would have sent the wrong signals down the ranks," said a top officer.

Politicians who seek raising of new regiments on particular criteria point to the existence of the Sikh, Gorkha, Dogra, Garhwal, Rajput and other regiments to buttress their claims.

But these "single-class" regiments were raised by the British much before Independence on the basis of their classification of certain communities as "martial races".

The present day infantry, in all, has 29 regiments, with varying numbers of battalions under them. These include "fixed" ones like Rajputana Rifles (an equal mix between Rajputs and Jats) and Rajput Regiment (Rajputs and Gujjars mainly but also a sprinkling of Muslims and Bengalis) and "mixed" ones like Mahar Regiment, where nominated classes are taken with a laid down percentage for each class.

Then, there are "all-class" regiments like the Guards, where jawans are recruited irrespective of class and percentage. Officers can be commissioned into any regiment.

"After Independence, the aim has been to progressively move towards all-class regiments in the infantry. Moreover, other big arms of Army like artillery and armoured corps are largely all-class ones," the officer said.

As for infantry regiments raised earlier, a "conscious decision" has been taken to retain some units as single, fixed or mixed classes based on historical and traditional considerations, combat effectiveness and operational performance.

"Jawans from the same community do form a cohesive unit, with the same culture, language, eating habits and kinship bonding," the officer added.

While this is true, the Army is steadfast against raising of any new "single or one class" regiment now, with "all-India, all-class" being its guiding principle.

But what about SC/ST reservations? "We already recruit a large number of them in different arms. Moreover, the Sikh Light Infantry and Mahar Regiment recruit only SCs as jawans," said the officer.

Ahmedabad, Mar 31 : BJP’s prime ministerial nominee L K Advani is seeking re-election for the fifth time from Gujarat’s Gandhinagar constituency, which has been impacted in recent delimitation exercise.
Besides Gandhinagar, most of the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state had been affected due to the delimitation.

Union Textiles Minister Shankersinh Vaghela, whose Kapadwanj seat got deleted, has been declared a Congress candidate from the newly created constituency, Panchmahals.

Ahmedabad city’s Ellisbridge assembly segment, which was a part of Gandhinagar, has now been included in the new constituency Ahmedabad West (SC).

While addressing a function in the city’s Navrangpura locality recently, Mr Advani expressed his disappointment over deletion of Ellisbridge, saying that the constituency had always given him highest lead in Gandhinagar, from where he was elected first in 1991, and then in 1998, 1999 and 2004.

However, Mr Advani, who did not contest in the 1996 election after his name figured in the Jain hawala case, was happy that Sanand, the new home of Tata’s Nano plant, and Kalol were added to his Gandhinagar constituency, from which Gandhinagar South was deleted.

Gandhinagar LS constituency, spread over Gandhinagar North, Kalol, Sanand, Ghatlodia, Vejalpur, Naranpura and Sabarmati segments, has a total of 15,43,708 electorate, including 7,50,665 female voters.
According to the election office, the total electorate in the state stood at 3,63,74,710, including 1,75,45,383 females.

Following delimitation, Ahmedabad, Kapadwanj, Mandvi and Dhandhuka LS seats stand deleted, while the new ones included Ahmedabad East, Ahmedabad West(SC), Bardoli and Navsari.

With this Gujarat’s total LS seat tally remained at 26 and assembly constituencies reached at 182.

Padrauna (UP): BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani came out in support of Varun Gandhi, under fire for his alleged hate speeches, and said it was the opposition which had made him a ‘poster boy’.

He accused the Election Commission of exceeding its brief by suggesting BJP should not field him as a candidate in the election.

"We did not make Varun Gandhi a poster boy. It is the others who give publicity. Most of the time, our opponents have made him a poster boy," Advani said.

Advani attacked the Election Commission's suggestion that Gandhi should not be given nomination by BJP as the poll panel had found him guilty of making inflammatory speeches in his constituency Pilibhit.

"The case of Varun Gandhi got wide publicity as the Election Commission did something unprecedented. I was surprised. I support Varun because EC has done an illegal thing as the charge against him has not been proved," Advani said.

Without naming actor Sanjay Dutt, who is set to contest from Lucknow as Samajwadi Party candidate, he said "one who has been convicted is contesting from Lucknow but the Election Commission has not said anything."

Advani addressed election meetings for BJP candidates in Padrauna and Maharajganj areas of Uttar Pradesh.

Some of the locals raised slogans of ‘Varun Gandhi zindabad’ during Advani's speech.

Varun surrenders in Pilibhit, sent to judicial custody

In a bid to make political capital, Varun Gandhi surrendered on Saturday before a local court in connection with a case against him for hate speeches after which he was arrested and sent to judicial remand till Monday.

Amid high drama, Gandhi, who left his home in Delhi in the wee hours, arrived here to a tumultuous welcome from a large number of BJP workers and saffron activists who clashed with police violating prohibitory orders in force.

Lawyers of 29-year-old Gandhi against whom three cases have been filed for allegedly making inflammatory communal speeches during his election campaign, filed a surrender plea before Chief Judicial Magistrate Vipin Kumar.

"This is a conspiracy in which I have been framed. I have full faith in the law and in the judiciary. I believe in my principles and I am willing to fight for them... I am ready to go to jail," Gandhi after reaching the town from where he is making his electoral debut.

After the Allahabad High Court rejected his petition for quashing the FIR against him, Gandhi changed his strategy and did not seek for extension of bail granted by the Delhi High Court and preferred to court arrest.

TINSUKIA, March, 27 – LK Advani, Prime Ministerial candidate and star campaigner of Bharatiya Janata Party, addressing a huge public rally at Sarvananda Singha Stadium Complex here today in support of the AGP-BJP combined candidates Sarbananda Sonowal for the Dibrugarh Constituency and Dr Arun Sarma for the Lakhimpur Constituency, said that it was a historic occasion as this was the first combined meeting of the AGP and BJP after the seat-sharing adjustment between the parties. In his speech Advani said security, good governance and development are the chief motto of NDA.

He further said that development of roads in entire India was initiated by the NDA Government during period of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and the task is expected to be completed by 2011. But he was surprised to note that the progress of the work in Assam is very poor, Advani added.

He also appealed to the Congress Prime Ministerial candidate to get elected to the Lok Sabha either from Assam or any other constituency of the country, and not to the Rajya Sabha. He stressed that all the necessary steps should be adopted for checking erosion to save the world’s biggest river island Majuli, which he visited today itself, by the Central Government.

Praising the AGP candidate of Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur, Sarbananda Sonowal and Dr Arun Sarma, respectively, Advani appealed to the people of these constituencies to elect them so that they could play vital role in forming the next NDA Government at Delhi.

Terming the infiltration of Bangladeshis as an external threat, he said that it is included in the manifesto of NDA as an important task to solve. He warned the terrorist organisations that they would be dealt with very strong hands.

The rally of about seven thousand-strong gathering was also addressed by Chandra Mohan Patowary, president Asom Gana Parishad, Sarbananda Sonowal and Dr Arun Sarma. BJP MLAs of Dibrugarh, Duliajan and Tingkhang, Prasant Phukan, Rameswar Teli and Anup Phukan, respectively, were also present at the rally among other office-bearers of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of both the parties.

Patowari while lambasting Congress parties said that for the better future of Assam, his party has gone for seat-sharing for the parliamentary elections with the BJP.

Our Sivasagar Correspondent adds: NDA’s Prime Ministerial candidate LK Advani today took the otherwise sleepy Jorhat parliamentary constituency’s election scenario by a storm by addressing two election rallies – one at Majuli and the other at Sivasagar today for AGP-BJP join candidate Kamakhya Prasad Tasha.

Addressing the massive rally at Sivasagar Peoli Phukan Stadium organized by AGP-BJP district joint committee, the veteran BJP leader said that it was the Bharatiya Janata Party which freed the Indians from the clutches of Congress hegemony by introducing alliance politics and making it bi-polar.

He blamed the Congress party for decades of ‘misrule ‘ both at the Centre and in the NE States and questioned the justification of its tall claims of progress when incidents of suicides among the farmers of the country are on the rise.

Advani also blamed the Congress for polluting Indian politics by fielding criminals as candidates in many constituencies. He called upon the AGP-BJP supporters to take a final decision for ousting the Congress party permanently from the NE region as, he said, it has made the region one of the most backward in the country.

The NDA leader said that his party will definitely come to power as the Congress is being deserted by its allies one after another and termed PM Dr Manmohan Sing as a puppet who has to dance to the tunes of Sonia Gandhi. He expressed his party’s commitment towards the Tea Tribe population’s development which, he said, the Congress party has totally neglected.

AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowari, in his speech, said that AGP will never sell their land and people to others and never make compromise on issues related to our nationalism like the Congress.

The Congress, he said, has long been befooling the people by claiming the progress made so far to their credit, but all the important development works, like increase in State’s share in Central grants, infrastructure development, special package of Rs 7100 crore announced by Deve Gowda as PM, etc., are all done by non-Congress governments.

PTI adds: Firing another salvo in their war of words Advani today said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should contest and win the Lok Sabha polls instead of taking the Rajya Sabha route after the Congress made it clear he was the party’s candidate to head a government.

“It is good that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has finally announced its prospective premier’s name setting at rest a whirlpool of speculations,” the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate told an election rally at Seppa in Arunachal Pradesh.

But, Advani sarcastically suggested Manmohan Singh would be more acceptable to the common people if he became a Lok Sabha member.

Advani’s comments came two days after Manmohan Singh made it clear that he has no intention to contest the Lok Sabha polls by pointing out that there were several Prime Ministers in the past who were from the Rajya Sabha and it was as per the Constitution.

The BJP stalwart has been pitching for a Constitution amendment that the Prime Minister should be from the Lok Sabha.

“I have just had a bypass surgery. I need time to recover. Therefore, I don’t think I can right now jump into the election fray,” Singh said in reply to another question with Gandhi by his side when the Congress manifesto was released on Tuesday.

The former Deputy Prime Minister said he was ready for a live debate with Manmohan Singh on various issues on TV channels as practised in the USA.

Dubbing Manmohan Singh as the “weakest Prime Minister the country ever had,” Advani said, “He cannot do anything without getting a green signal from 10 Janpath. A minister posted at the PMO takes the PM’s proposals to Sonia Gandhi and without her nod he cannot move.”

Advani said even former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, who was an elected representative in the Lok Sabha, had worked with more authority. Gowda had only four or five MPs of his party with him in Parliament in 1996 when he headed a coalition government.

Referring to China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh, he said if that country wanted to develop good relations with India, it should stop claiming Arunachal.

Later talking to reporters, he said NCP leader Purno A Sangma was trying to unite all anti-Congress forces in the north-eastern region.

“This is a good job and I have all respect for Sangma,” Advani said.

KHARONI: Reviving the issue of illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, BJP leader L K Advani has said Bangladeshis are entering Assam without any
visa or passport.

Addressing insurgency-hit people on Wednesday in Kharoni, which is dominated by Hindi-speaking people, Mr Advani made it clear that negotiations will be on with militant outfits willing to talk. He promised to deal firmly with terrorist modules if NDA returned to power.

Hitting his countrywide campaign trail from Assam on Wednesday, Mr Advani alleged that Congress has always neglected Assam. I hope Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi will answer it.

The Supreme Court has criticised the state government and the Centre in its judgement saying that illegal immigration amounted to external aggression," he said.

He said illegal influx from Bangladesh is the burning problem faced by the state. Is India a dharamasala? he asked. Mr Advani said Congress in its manifesto has made no mention of illegal immigration.

On Wednesday, Mr Advani addressed election rallies in Silchar and Karimganj. On Thursday, he will address rallies in Tinsukia and Jorhat.

Attacking UPA for not implementing development work initiated by the NDA government, Mr Advani said the golden quadrangle project has not made much headway in the North East. The highway is slated to link Porbandar with Silchar.

He announced if voted to power NDA will link IT education to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan mission an will ensure that all youth in the country have IT knowledge.

Kheroni (Assam), Mar 25 : Senior BJP leader L K Advani on Wednesday said that the NDA, if voted to power, would take "drastic action" against foreign militants active in the country.

Addressing his first election rally in Assam, Advani, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, said foreign militants help local militant organisations in carrying out subversive activity in the country.

"The NDA's top priority would be to resolve the problem of militancy in the Northeast by holding discussion with local militant outfits," Advani told the rally held at Kheroni in Karbi Anglong district. On the issue of illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, he said that the anti-foreigners movement by the All Assam Students' Union was the biggest such movement in the country, but due to the Congress' attitude towards illegal infiltrators, the problem has magnified.

"The Congress has always given illegal foreigners protection to exploit them for vote-bank politics," he alleged

Who would be the next PM? Advani or Manmohan! Or any other politician who might emerge as dark horse? That is perhaps the most important question in the minds of the people when the general elections 2009 in the largest democracy in the world would conclude. Whether people would go for a change or continue with the current would be the decisive outcome.
  A fair assessment of comparative study of both leaders, at this stage, would be an interesting exercise to know about the strengths and weaknesses of both the leaders.

Coming from different socio-religious background, both were born in Pakistan and later migrated to India. Both have seen the holocaust of partition, but one is changed towards Hindu cause the other towards humane cause.

Personality wise, both are poles apart: while Advani is loquacious orator famous for stentorian, passion-generating speeches with zealot like approach, Singh weighs his thoughts and minces words before speaks out in a soft voice. As a crowd puller, Advani is for the masses, Singh loves to convince the serious audience in a low-pitched and sophisticated tone.

Age wise, both are old: while Advani is five year older to Singh, the latter appears weaker in physical disposition than the former, who shows exemplary physique. While strict discipline has helped Advani look vibrant at 81, Singh has a couple of surgical operations due to general ailment related to age. Health is a crucial factor that could go against Singh.

Education wise, both have different degrees: while Advani is less educated than Manmohan, who is D.Phil from the University of Oxford Nuffield College and won the Wright's Prize for distinguished performance in 1955 and 1957, Singh has been a distinguish scholar, whose topic of doctorate thesis, "India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth” perhaps shaped his vision for reforms towards liberalization.

Ideology wise, both are at two different ends: while Advani professes, practices and preaches Hindutva borne out of his RSS background, with a little moderation in appearance and speeches post-Babri mosque destruction, Singh believes and declares humanistic approach, with secular ideals in public life. If Advani is a nationalist with Hindutva tilt seeking Hindus as lead players in making India a formidable power, Singh is a secular with a developmental look working for all sections of the society to flourish, so that India could be a leader in global arena. Advani has been a staunch RSS man while Singh an ardent economist.

Career wise, both have different graphs: while Advani has worked as RSS pracharak before switching over to political stage though taught in school for a short period of time, Singh, apart from working with IMF and UN, taught at the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University and served as Governor of Reserve Bank of India. While Advani has people’s backing as he has fought and won many elections, Singh has never won election for the Lok Sabha. As a mass leader in a democratic country, Advani has clear edge over Singh.

On the performance level, one has a clear edge over the other: while Advani has not been so successful as the Home Minister, or Deputy Prime Minister, Singh has some notable credits to his kitty. From failure to construct the Ram Temple, a promise on which the BJP had come to power, to Gujarat pogrom, Advani not only failed to act decisively, but also in a partisan manner. While Singh has been the initiator of economic reforms in 1991 that led to India’s current growth story, Advani has no intellectual contribution for the development of the country. The credit for Indo-US deal and cornering Pakistan via disciplined diplomacy in the aftermath of Mumbai terror attacks goes to Singh, Advani has had nothing as such except mass mobilization towards Hindutva and advocacy for tougher laws meant to prosecute Muslims, not Hindus.

Image wise, both are miles apart: while Advani has always been hailed a hardliner or iron man, Singh has gentleman like posture. For Hindus, Advani may be an idol, but for Muslims he is a persona non-grata, a hate monger who started the second Hindu-Muslim divide. Advani is an accused in Babri mosque demolition apart from his indict ion in Jain Hawala case, while Singh has a clean image. People can doubt Advani’s promise, but hardly disbelieve Singh’s statements. While Advani is aggressive and obdurate in attack, Singh is mild in response but rich in meaning. Igniting sentiment is the hallmark of Advani’s inherent personality, while Singh hardly indulges in divisive politics. While Advani possesses congested outlook in promoting nationalism and fruits of development, Singh seems broadminded in outreach and distribution of benefits from developmental programmes.

Contribution wise, both have done services to the nation: while Singh has definite edge over Advani, in terms of programmes and initiatives for the development of the country, Advani has nothing as such. For the nonce, we need to wait and watch as who would be the king: Singh or Advani?

KOTTAYAM, Mar 8 : BJP has withdrawn the national flag from the party's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani's website following a complaint from Mahatma Gandhi foundation based at Palai near here.

The national flag used in the website was withdrawn after it was pointed out that the flag should not be used for campaign purposes.

The foundation had also said it was improper to use it for advertisement. The flag code was introduced by Advani when he was Union Home Minister, a release from the foundation said.

The foundation welcomed the step of the BJP which withdrew the national flag from the website and advertisement.

Bangalore, Feb 27 : BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani today said the NDA is not short of allies going to parliamentary elections and expected more to join it after the polls.
"No, not at all", Advani told PTI when asked if he believed whether the NDA was short of allies.

"Even when we came to power for the first time, many of our allies joined only after the elections and this time at the moment we are five in the NDA and in the last two months we have added one more ally from Haryana, one more from UP and one more from Assam, so that even before the elections, we have had additions to our alliance partners and I have little (no) doubt that after the elections also there will be some more additions", he said.

Asked if he expected more re-alignment of forces before the polls, he said "not much". "That alignment has already taken place since the time the left broke away from the UPA".

Asked if he believed that the anti-BJPism is more pronounced now than before the last elections, he said "not at all". "This happened in 2004 when for the first time in the history of Indian politics, the left parties supported the Congress party in a vague manner", he said.

New Delhi, Feb 14 : Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L K Advani accused the Congress- led UPA of being 'insensitive' towards the Sri Lankan Tamils' cause and dismissed the use of brutal force in resolving the grave issue.

Addressing hundreds of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) members and pro-Eelam activists who began a daylong fast under the leadership of MDMK General Secretary Vaiko at New Delhi on Friday, Advani said the focus of the entire nation at this moment should be towards "ending the sufferings of the innocent" Tamil civilians in neighbouring Sri Lanka.

The activists are fasting to express sympathy on civilians stuck in the war between the Lankan army and the LTTE in north Sri Lanka.

Advani demanded a negotiated political settlement
to resolve the issue.

He also condemned the bombings on hospitals in Sri Lanka and urged the Lankan government to resolve the ethnic conflict by "devolving powers" to the areas where Tamils constitute a major population.

Nagpur, Feb 7 : BJP prime ministerial candidate L K Advani and party president Rajnath Singh would be visiting Deekshabhoomi tomorrow to pay homage to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, party sources said today.

Advani and Rajnath, who are attending the party's three-day national council meeting here, would be paying floral tributes to the dalit leader who embraced Buddhism wayback on October 14, 1956 in the city at the place.

The Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak Samiti has constructed a big'stupa' to dedicate to the memory of late architest of the Indian Constitution at Deekshabhoomi.

This will be the first occasion when both the top saffron party leaders visiting Deekshabhoomi and paying tribute to Ambedkar.