'Manipur will have non-Congress govt after polls'

Imphal, Feb 2: BJP president Rajnath Singh today called for the ouster of the UPA regime at the Centre and urged the people to elect a non-Congress coalition government in Manipur.

Addressing a news conference Mr Singh, who launched party's poll campaign here today, claimed that the UPA government had failed to protect the interests of the common people, who should now launch a mass movement against the Central government.

The BJP's national president arrived here today to launch the poll campaign here as three-phase elections to the 60-member Manipur Assembly will be held on February 8, 14 and 23 respectively.

Predicting a change of guard, Mr Singh said a non-Congress government would come to power after the ninth assembly elections in Manipur.

When asked if his party was ready to have an alliance with the CPI in Manipur, he said it was for the Communists to decide if they wanted ''friendship'' with the BJP.

He made it clear that the BJP wanted a debate on the floor of the house on the report of the Justice Reddy Commission on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, adding his party would support repeal of the Act if it was against the interest of the people.

The UPA government should convene an all party meeting to discuss the Northeast situation, he demanded.

The Congress' policy had alienated the people of the Northeast from the mainstream, the BJP chief claimed.

The BJP wanted the people of Northeast to be equal partners in the growth and development in other parts of the country, he said.

The region should be integrated to the mainstream through dialogue and talks, he added.

The BJP also stood for territorial integrity of Manipur, the BJP leader said. He said his party would do well in all the three states going to polls soon.

The BJP has fielded 14 candidates out of sixty seats in Manipur.

He also charged the UPA government with resorting to appeasement policy of the minorities. The Congress-led UPA government was following the mind set of the Muslim League of the Pre-Independence period which was marked with religious based politics, he said.

UNI