BJP sets panel for blueprint on campaign

Dehradun, Sept 7: In an effort to whip up nationalist sentiments ahead of assembly polls in four states, the BJP today set up a five-member Committee, headed by former BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu, to prepare a blueprint for launching an aggressive nation-wide campaign capable of polarising the electorate.

A decision to this effect was taken by BJP President Rajnath Singh at the Office Bearers meeting which met this morning to fix the agenda for the National Executive.

Party sources said BJP General Secretaries Sanjay Joshi, Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar and BJP Vice-President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who is in-charge of the Vande Mataram campaign, are other members of the Committee.

The National Executive would focus on the ''all-round failures of the UPA Government particularly on the internal security front, price rise and agricultural policies in providing any succour for the farmers who were committing suicides in large numbers''.

Earlier in the day, top BJP leaders, led by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani, assembled at Vande Mataram Gana Sabha, the venue of the National Executive and recited the national song to observe its centenary. The song composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadyay was first sung at AICC Session at Varanari in 1905.

The party also brought out a special bilingual booklet titled ''Vande Mataram'' containing the speeches and write-ups from several party leaders, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, RSS Chief K Sudarshan and L K Advani, in Hindi and English.

UNI