Kalyan's image to ensure BJP's big leap in UP polls: Joshi
Faizabad, Apr 15 (UNI) Asserting that his party had made positive inroads into the first two phases of election in Uttar Pradesh, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi today said image of the party's chief ministerial candidate Kalyan Singh as a good administrator would ensure a big leap towards success beyond BJP's expectations.
Dr Joshi, who arrived here this morning to undertake poll campaigning in Basti and Sidharthnagar districts, told newspersons that the BJP had surely improved its performance in these two phases of elections and if the trend were to continue, the party was sure to achieve success.
He said Mr Singh's track record in keeping the criminal elements out of the administration would certainly be a factor that would go in favour of BJP. Moreover, he faced no corruption charges unlike two other contenders for the chief ministerial post -- Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav of Samajwadi Party and Ms Mayawati of the BSP.
Dr Joshi said people were looking at the BJP as an alternative to these two parties which had ruled and ruined the state and both leaders were facing charges of amassing public money beyond their known sources of income. Their promises to eliminate poverty and employment and illiteracy were never set into motion and the state had slipped below the national average in all economic indicators.
Dr Joshi alleged that the Samajwadi Party-led government had diverted Rs 7000 crore collected as entry tax for general spending whereas they were to lock in this amount under a separate head as per the orders of the High Court.
The High Court, he said, had ordered refunding this money to the businessmen from whom it was collected.
He said there should be a probe whether these funds were kept in separate accounts or spent for meeting day-to-day expenses because the SP-led government had no hopes of returning back to power and was passing on the problems to the next government.
To a question on Uma Bharti's announcement to withdraw candidature of her Bharatiya Janshakti Party's nominees from UP election to help the consolidation of Hindu votes, Dr Joshi replied that it would have a psychological impact on the party workers and it would positively help in boosting the morale.
Asked if he would favour the return of the estranged sanyasin back to the paryfold Dr Joshi gave a cryptic reply by saying that he concurred with the statement of the party president Rajnath Singh and other leaders and declined to be drawn into further questions.
Dr Joshi addressed meetings at Saltouva and Dumariya Ganj in support of his party candidates.
UNI