BJP will ride to power in next polls: Naidu

Vijayawada, Jan 9: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will ride to power at the Centre in 2009 General Elections, Party Senior Leader M Venkaiah Naidu today claimed.

Addressing the press here, Mr Naidu said the BJP won absolute majority in the recently concluded Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. The Congress leaders had lost self-confidence. The Left, which was supporting the UPA from outside, was also afraid of its future after the Nandigram incident and mulling to withdraw support, he alleged. He felt, in the present political situation in the country, mid-term elections were inevitable.

The BJP had set up a high powered Central Election Management Committee to gear up the party for elections. The party will hold executive committee and national council meetings at New Delhi on January 27 and 28 to review the political situation in the country.

Mr Naidu said if the BJP was voted to power, it would control religious conversions and re-introduce POTA.

UNI