Amarnath land will be poll issue: Advani

Bhopal, Jun 30 (UNI) Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial nominee L K Advani today said the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board-related land matter would be a chief issue in the next general elections.

''Other key issues will be the delay in executing Mohammad Afzal Guru -- who was convicted for attacking Parliament -- and the Centre's Ram Setu-linked affidavit questioning Lord Ram's existence,'' Mr Advani told reporters at the airport.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha was here in connection with the release of his autobiography's Hindi version 'Mera Desh Mera Jeevan'.

''The Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to take back the land allotted to the Board is communal and a part of vote- bank politics. The land was allotted to provide basic facilities to Amarnath pilgirms,'' he alleged.

Earlier, it seemed that only the People's Democratic Party (PDP) was opposing the allotment but the new decision made it clear that even the Congress is against the allotment, Mr Advani said.

''Despite threats by Left parties, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is adopting a stern stance over the 123 Indo-US Nuclear Agreement but the attitude vis-a-vis the Board had made it clear that the Congress is taking such steps with the vote-bank in mind,'' he added.

Slamming the policies of the Centre that ''claims to be secular,'' Mr Advani added that the Congress and its allies would have to pay the price at the hustings.

UNI PKJ-AC PY HT1827