Janata Party to contest polls with BJP

Lucknow, Sep 6: Subramanian Swami-led Janata Party (JP) is likely to contest the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Dr Swami, who was in the state capital, said his party was seeking an alliance with the BJP. ''The issue of number of seats would come later...first I want to fix the tie up with BJP and other like-minded parties,'' he said. the BJP and JP have an alliance in Tamil Nadu.

To a poser, he said while Samajwadi Party supremo and chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was his friend, he did not see the possibility of the two parties reaching an understanding. ''My party would not target him, but parties like Congress,'' he informed.

Dr Swami claimed his party would contest the elections -- due in early next year -- on the plank of creating a 'Naveen Hindustan' (New India) for the people of the state.

''The JP would work towards fighting for justice to the poor and discriminated Brahmins and propogate for a Hindustani mindset,'' he said. The former union minister claimed the development of the state was possible only if world class primary and secondary education system using IT was used.

In a bid to succeed in polls, his party would also seek the blessings of Hindu Dharmacharya Sabha and Dharma Sansad, he said.

UNI