BJP Chief predicts mid-term polls for Lok Sabha soon

Panaji, Aug 12 (UNI) BJP National President Rajnath Singh has not ruled out early mid-term polls to Lok Sabha with the UPA government indulging in a lot of ''internal contradictions''.

In an informal chat with UNI at the end of his maiden visit to Goa, Mr Singh said the BJP was also of the opinion that the country should go in for mid-term polls in the ''overall interest of the nation''.

He, however, remained tight lipped when asked whether his party favoured formation of a third front to provide a viable alternative to the UPA government at the Centre.

The BJP chief at the same time did not spare the communists, who he said, had been engaged in ''proxy rule'' with the Congress becoming ''faceless, splineless and rudderless'' even as the left continued to play second fiddle to the Congress for political expediency.

Addressing mediapersons earlier, Mr Singh sought publication of a ''white paper'' on inflation and galloping prices while alleging that the Centre had been giving protection to hoarders, profiteers and black-marketeers.

He termed it as ''absurd and an excuse'' the Congress charge that amendment of the Essential Commodities Act during the Vajpayee rule was aimed at protecting the black marketeers.

''In fact, the prices had been under constant check during the six year NDA rule with buffer stocks of foodgrains and right policies, which were later reversed by the current UPA government,'' he added.

''The commodity trading on exchange is the main reason for tremendous price rise and hoarding, while the government does not want to stop it,''he said.

Petroleum prices have been revised eight times since the UPA government took over two years ago ignoring the BJP suggestion to rationalise the duty structure on petroleum products.

Expressing serious concern over suicides of about 100 farmers in Vidarbha region since the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 1 this year, he blaked the Centre for this incidence following reduction of imported duties on cotton making home grown cotton costlier.

'' With the UPA government's food security policy going haywire, the Centre started importing substandard wheat from blacklisted companies like the AWB of Australia for a higher price, while offering much lower price to the already debt-ridden Indian farmers,''he added.

UNI BM KU AK HT1510