Advani favours bi-party system to further strengthen democracy

Panaji, May 21 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani today favoured introduction of 'Bi-Party' system of governance in the country on the lines of developed countries to avoid frequent change of governments.

He advised the Election Commision to initiate an experiment of bringing together different political parties on one platform just before the elections, thus giving them an opportunity to discuss issues so as to help people chose party of their choice.

''Bring Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane and opposition leader Manohar Parrikar on one platform and let them explain their case threadbare so that people can choose the government they want on the basis of good governance,'' he said.

Kicking off the party's campaign from the sprawling Azad Midan for the June 2 elections to the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly here this evening, Mr Advani suggested that 'bi-party' system be experimented in the country as in the US.

The RSS founder was also in favour of such a system so that all political parties are regrouped into two parties, he said, adding that if one party fails, the other would take over, he said.

Elaborating on the growth of BJP from having mere two members in Parliament two decades ago, when Congress came back to power on sympathy wave after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Mr Advani urged people to vote for ''a good, honest government, not on the basis of caste, creed or religion''.

The BJP continued to go to the people with a ''specific agenda'' such as anti-corruption and restoration of democracy with the help of late Jayapraksh Narain before and after the Emergency.

It won the hearts of people in Bihar as it had placed the ''development agenda'' before the electorate, which rejected the 15-year misrule of RJD government, he said.

''Now we are before you with the agenda of providing you with an honest and responsive government in Goa, which could be nurtured into a model State to the entire world,'' he said.

''The beautiful State of Goa, unfortunately, has been witnesssing defacement and denudation of green cover with the itroduction of the controversial Regional Plan-2011, which was later stalled following public outcry,'' Mr Advani said.

Stating that rulers required ''accountability'', he told people to ''vote without fear''.

''Democracy continues to rein supreme in India despite a lot of illiteracy and diversity except for the 19-month rule of the black Emergency during the regime of Indira Gandhi, belying expectations of many leaders of the world,'' he noted.

Earlier, opposition leader and former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and State BJP President Shripad Naik urged people to give a decisive mandate to the party to ensure a stable government.

Mr Advani was earlier introduced to all the 33 candidates of the party, including two women contesting, for the 40-member House.

UNI