Karnataka is on top of NDA agenda, says Advani

New Delhi, Jan 22 (UNI) Soon after getting the NDA's nod to be its prime ministerial candidate, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani told the NDA constituents to keep Karnataka assembly polls on top of their agenda, asserting that Congress must be defeated there.

''Our immediate task is to prepare ourselves for success in the several vidhan Sabha elections scheduled to be held in 2008.

The earliest is going to be in Karnataka, where the Congress must be defeated," he said in his concluding remarks to the meeting.

Suspecting that the Congress-led UPA Government might take some excuse in holding the elections in Karnataka, Mr Advani said, "I urge the government not to think of any ploy to postpone them.'' The BJP feels that the Government must delay the elections on the pretext whether these be held under the new defined constituencies or old ones.

Mr Advani described the NDA as "one of the most outstanding developments in the political history of post-independence India which indicates the maturing of Indian democracy in the direction of good governance, development and comprehensive security.'' About the next Lok Sabha polls, he said it might take place in early 2009 or in the latter half of this year but "the NDA should be prepared--is indeed prepared--for the electoral battle whenever it takes place''.

UNI KAS RL RAI1904