'BJP not to seek early Assembly polls in Guj'

Vadodara, Nov 25: Newly appointed Gujarat BJP president Pursottam Rupala today said there was no proposal from the Narendra Modi government to dissolve the state Assembly in order to pave the way for early elections.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Rupala said the issue had never come up for discussion in the party forum as the BJP had no plan to seek an early election to the state Assembly. The elections to the Gujarat Assembly are due in November, 2007.

Expressing optimism about the party's prospects in the next Assembly elections, Mr Rupala said his party was confident of scoring yet another massive victory this time for having achieved development of the state in all spheres.

''Our achievements and all-round progress of the state under the leadership of Narendra Modi will be the main poll plank of BJP in the coming elections,'' he said adding that BJP was now geared up to further strengthen its organisational base right from the block level in this ''election year''.

Mr Rupala, who is on a day's visit to Vadodara after assuming the new charge, said he would be visiting each and every district for meeting party leaders and people from all walks of life with a view to chalk out future plan and programmes for the party.

Taking a dig at the UPA government at the centre for its minority ''appeasement'' policies, the state BJP president warned that the move to provide reservation to minorities in employment and education would lead to further division of India. He also criticised both the national and Gujarat state Congress leaders for tarnishing the image of the state by spreading a misinformation campaign against the BJP government.

UNI