UPA-NDA contrast will batter BJP's poll chances:Left to Advani

New Delhi, Apr 28 (UNI) The CPI(M) today took a swipe at BJP Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani's remark that the ''UPA-NDA contrast'' would be a major issue in the Lok Sabha polls, saying it would actually help the Left as well as other secular parties and lead to further reverses for the saffron outfit.

''The track record of the BJP during over four years shows that it failed to discharge its responsibility as the principal opposition party. It followed the Left parties and never protested against the Manmohan Singh government on its own on any issue - be it the Indo-US nuclear deal, record price rise or the economic policies,'' CPI(M) Polit Bureau Sitaram Yechuri said at a press conference here.

In response to a specific query on the party's response to Mr Advani's statement that the NDA performed much better than the UPA with regard to maintaining cordial centre-state relations and checking price rise, the CPI(M) leader posed a counter question.

''Was not the NDA biased towards Bihar, West Bengal and Kerala and did it not try its best to topple the Rabri Devi government?'' On the price rise issue, he said it was the legacy of the NDA government. ''Who does not know that the BJP-led alliance launched false propaganda under the name of the India Shining campaign. The trend of farmers suicide started only during its six-year rule.'' The CPI(M) Parliamentary Group leader wondered that if the NDA rule was that much better, ''why was the BJP-led alliance defeated in the 2004 elections''.

''The BJP owes an explanation to the nation as to how former National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra was supporting the N-pact while the party was opposing the same,'' he said.

Mr Yechuri informed that a delegation led by him met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this morning, seeking restoration of the Brahmaputra International Waterway, closed about two years ago.

''The Prime Minister assured that he would talk to the government of Bangladesh in this regard.'' MORE UNI KSA RR BD1625