BJP to play 'constructive opposition' role after the UP defeat

New Delhi, May 11 (UNI) After stinging defeat in Uttar Pradesh polls, the BJP today said it would play the role of a 'constructive' opposition in the state.

The BJP which stands to lose nearly 40 seats from its current strength of 88 seats said that people who were tired of 'misgovernance and corruption of Mulayam Singh government in the state did not want to give a fractured mandate. "We accept the people's verdict and will sit in Opposition and work for the good of the people of the state", BJP President Rajnath Singh said after an hour long Parliamentary Board meeting.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani, former party Presidents Murli Manohar Joshi and M Venkaiah Naidu and other members of the Parliamentary Board, the apex decision making body of the party attended the meeting.

Conceding that there was obviously something lacking in its strategy and poll management, Mr Singh said the party would analyse the results in detail along with the state party leadership and take remedial steps to earn the goodwill of the people. He also announced that the UP BJP Legislative Party would be meeting in the next few days to elect its leader but declined an answer if there would be any change of leadership.

Asked if the results were disappointing for the leaders like Mr Vajpayee, he replied in the affirmative.

To a question if the defeat for the BJP in a major state like UP would have depressing effect on the future battles in Goa and Gujarat, Mr Singh said if the positive impact of the victories in Uttarakhand and Punjab could not have impact on the results of Uttar Pradesh, the same analogy was true for future elections.

BJP Spokesman Prakash Javadekar said UP results were decisive after a string of unsuccessful coalitions. The BJP had emerged as the clear alternative in the states of Bihar, Punjab and Uttarakhand but it was the turn of BSP to do so in UP.

UNI