''The Captain has deserted the sinking ship'', Prasad

Hardwar, Feb 9 (UNI) Exuding confidence that the BJP would form a government in the state on its own, spokesperson of the party and in-charge of Uttarakhand, Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress was a sinking ship which had been deserted by its very captain.

Talking to reporters here today, Mr Prasad said though the Congress was demanding votes in the name of achievements of the N D Tiwari led government, Tiwari himself was neither in the electoral fray nor was he actively involved in electioneering in the state.

He said the state Congress chief, Harish Rawat was also not evincing any enthusiasm in the election campaign of the party. "The Congress, though a ruling party in the state, was most indifferent towards its election campaign. The lacklusture campaign of the party indicated the party leaders had already aceded their defeat at the hustings", Mr Prasad said.

Highlighting the emotive issues, he said if the party came to power in the state, it would set up a cow protection commission, enact a legislation to ban religious conversions, to accord the status of second language to Sanskrit in the state and streamline infrastructure facilities in places of religious importance.

Replying to a question whether it was an attempt to return to the VHP agenda, Mr Prasad said it was only an attempt to fulfil the constitutional obligations and aspirations of the people.

Outlining the party's commitment to decentralisation, he said if the party came to power, block level secretariat would be set up in the state to take policy decisions regarding education, medical facilities, agricultural problems and to implement them so that time and money of villagers was not wasted in going to the district and state headquarters.

"It was a new experiment in the country and it will provide cheap and speedy solutions of their problems to the people of the villages," he added.

UNI