Rajnath hints at midterm poll

Indore, June 30 (UNI) Claiming that the Centre's UPA regime was on the way out, BJP President Rajnath Singh today hinted at the likelihood of a midterm general election.

''Spiralling prices and a crumbling economy should make the communist leaders withdraw support to the UPA if the leftists are truly concerned about public interests. Items of daily use became dearer by 40 to 120 per cent. Fuel prices will decline if the Centre reduces surcharge. All this will be brought up on priority basis during Parliament's monsoon session,'' he told reporters here.

Alleging that the country was facing a worsening security scenario, Mr Singh accused the Centre of failing to tackle terrorism and naxalism.

''The regime is non-serious about the foreign policy and the External Affairs Minister (K Natwar Singh) was sacrificed to the Volcker case. As a consequence, India's relations weakened with her neighbours,'' he added.

Accusing Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf of making wanton statements even as the Indo-Pak dialogue process was underway, Mr Singh said the general ought to be reminded of the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's January 2004 statement that a dialogue with Pakistan would be initiated only after cessation of cross-border terrorism.

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