BJP in people's court with promise of good governance: Advani

Gorakhpur/Ballia, Apr 30 (UNI) The BJP is standing in the people's court with a pledge to mitigate terror, hunger and corruption in Uttar Pradesh and provide clean and efficient administration, former deputy prime minister and senior BJP leader L K Advani said today.

Addressing election meetings here, Mr Advani urged people to vote for the BJP in the interests of the country's integrity and UP's development.

''India's progress depends upon the prosperity of UP, but sadly the people have been pushed to the edge here due to the dismal law and order situation,'' he regretted.

Mr Advani said Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav did not apologise for an incident like Nithari and would pay the price in the UP polls.

Terming Gujarat as the most prosperous state of the country, he said while its 18,000 odd villages received-24-hour power supply, UP was living in darkness.

Criticising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that Muslims had the first share in the country's resources, Mr Advani claimed it was part of the appeasement policy and had created an air of distrust among the people.

''Only poor people, irrespective of caste and religion have the first right over our resources,'' he said.

The ruling Samajwadi Party has been fighting the ongoing UP poll on the basis of terror, money and appeasement, he alleged.

''The BSP's 'tilak, tarazu aur talwar...' slogan had earlier breeded intercaste rivalry and this slogan has been modified with an eye on the election...the reality is that the BSP mindset is far from reformed,'' he claimed.

The BJP leader said this was the first time since 1952, when an election was being conducted in seven phases.

''We must deliberate why this situation arose? Witnessing the criminalisation of politics, the Election Commission decided that free and fair polls could not be conducted in any lesser number of phases. This is why the paramilitary forces were requisitioned,'' he reminded.

''The BJP will form the next government in UP like Bihar,'' he claimed.

In his speech, former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu said the UP polls would mould the destiny of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ruling at the Centre.

Besides, he claimed that the BJP was receiving tremendous support in UP.

UNI