Three-day BJP Conclave begins in Lucknow

Lucknow, Dec 22: A three-day BJP conclave was today set rolling by party President Rajnath Singh with the outlining of the party's programme for facing the assembly elections in four states, including Uttar Pradesh, the hometurf of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Mr Singh himself.

Other leaders, who are participating in today's Executive and the two-day National Council, include Leader of the Opposition L K Advani, former BJP Presidents Murli Manohar Joshi and M Venkaiah Naidu, besides BJP's Chief Ministerial nominee Kalyan Singh. The saffron colour has descended all over the city on the occasion of the mega event with BJP flags, posters and banners dotting all over.

While posters of Mr Vajpayee, who represents this city in the Lok Sabha and Mr Rajnath Singh have been prominently displayed, those of Mr Advani and other leaders appear less pronounced.

The day-long Executive will approve two resolutions to be placed before the National Council-- one on political scenario and the other on economic situation, in which the party would seek to expose the failures of the UPA Government at the Centre on all fronts for the past two and a half years.

In the Council meeting starting tomorrow, about 3,000 National Council members, comprising all elected MPs, MLAs and Office-bearers up to the district level from all over the country, will deliberate and give a direction to the cadres to prepare for the coming elections in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Punjab and Manipur.

While the party has demanded polls in Goa to be clubbed with these, election, for Himachal Assembly was not far away.

The thrust of the conclave would be to expose the UPA's failures on price rise and inflation which has hit the the common man adversly. Despite capturing power with the slogan 'Congress Ka Haath Aam Admi Ke Saath' the prices of essential commodities had gone up 30 to 40 per cent and the recent lower revision of petrol prices recently has only offered a temporary relief.

The BJP will seek to prick the party balloon to expose the 'hidden intentions' of Congress in shaking hands with the Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru by delaying the death sentence awarded by Supreme Court, senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said. He accused the UPA government of going soft against anti-national forces fomenting nationwide terror while being harsh on nationalists.

The Council, held for the first time in Lucknow, will also go through the formality of ratifying the recent election of Mr Rajnath Singh as national President for a three-year term. The Executive is being held in the 'city of Nawabs' after a gap of 22 years. Mr Rajnath Singh is the third leader from U P to head the BJP after Mr Vajpayee and Dr M M Joshi since the party's formation in 1980.

Observers are keenly watching the tussle between Mr Vajpayee and Advani in the race for the top job in the post 2009 scenario as both have not hidden their intentions to remain in the race. While Mr Advani projected himself as 'PM in waiting', Mr Vajpayee has asserted that he was 'still around'.

UNI