'Internal security, price hike main points'

Bangalore, May 2: The threat to internal security, spiralling prices of essential commodities and good governance will be the three major poll planks on which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will seek votes for the Assembly elections in Karnataka.

Senior BJP Leader and Opposition Leader in Lok Sabha Lal Krishna Advani, who launched the party's election campaign from Anekal Town, near the IT corridor here today, charged UPA Government at the Centre with miserably failing in checking soaring inflation, combating terrorism and naxalism and delivering good governance.

Expressing serious concern over Maoists and terrorists posing grave threat to Internal Security, Mr Advani criticised the UPA Government with total failure in preventing and punishing the culprits responsible for serial train blasts in Mumbai, bomb blasts in Hyderabad, Varanasi and New Delhi, and attackers of IISc in Bangalore.

Coming down heavily on the Centre, Mr Advani said after failing to check the spiralling prices of all the essential commodities, including foodgrains and edible oil, the Congress leaders were now thinking of 'imposing' early elections to the Lok Sabha sometime in October or November this year.

Opining that the Assembly elections in Karnataka were very much crucial, Mr Advani said it would re-shape the future political map of the country.

''The Congress may re-think of holding early elections to Lok Sabha if BJP comes to power in Karnataka,'' he claimed.

Assailing the Janata Dal(S) which 'betrayed both the people of the state and his party by refusing to hand-over power and honour the political pact,' Mr Advani appealed to the voters of Karnataka to teach a bitter lesson to the 'betrayers.' Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, BJP National General Secretary and Ananthkumar,MP and BJP nominee from Anekal, Mr Narayanaswamy, were also present on the dais at the sparsely attended public meeting.

UNI