Gujarat defeat staring in BJP's face : Left

New Delhi, Dec 11 (UNI) The Left parties today observed that BJP's decision to name Mr L K Advani as its Prime Ministerial candidate on the eve of Gujarat polls is symbolic of its "desperation" as the fear of defeat is staring in its face.

Where was the need of projecting Mr Advani as the Prime Ministerial candidate when Lok Sabha elections are not round the corner? they questioned while asking the saffron party why it is now neither projecting Mr Narendra Modi nor the development slogan in the state.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said a situation would also not arise when it has to have a Prime Minister, party national secretary D Raja said," The BJP is desperate.. it is in deep political and ideological crisis. This is why it is projecting Mr Advani out of fear of defeat at the hustings." Since the last Parliamentary elections, the BJP had failed to play its dual role of the main opposition both in and outside Parliament, the CPI leaders said adding that it had not taken up any issue of the people showing its political bankruptcy.

Besides there had always been conflict between the RSS and the BJP leadership, Mr Raja said." Now it is trying to fill the campaign with this motive. It is attempting to arrive at some compromise with the Sangh Parivar." Mr Advani, the former Deputy Prime Minister who had fallen out of favour with the RSS in the wake of his controversial statement on Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, has been officially announced as BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate CPI (M) senior leader and Polit Bureau member M K Pandhe said it is not going to be a smooth affair for Mr Advani as people by now know the game plan of the Sangh Parivar and the BJP. " They cannot hoodwink the people," he said.

The CPI (M) leader said besides Mr Advani did not command that kind of respect from non-BJP parties as was enjoyed by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Forward Bloc General Secretary Debvrat Biswas said Mr Advani " Who could not keep its party in order, how will he run the country." He is just day dreaming," he added.

Mr Biswas said Mr Advani could draw satisfaction from the fact that he is at least the Prime Ministerial candidate.

RSP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Abani Roy said BJP's move would help it neither electorally nor politically.

UNI