BJS to contest all seats in MP, Raj

Bhopal, Oct 5 (UNI) Bharatiya Jan Shakti (BJS) would contest all assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan while in Delhi and Chhattisgarh the party has decided to field 50 and 30 candidates respectively.

Talking to reporters here today, the BJS' Executive President Sangh Priya Gautam claimed that of 230 seats in this state the party was expecting to win at least 120 as no party would get majority and the state would be heading for a coalition government.

''The BJS will be the 'first partner' of the coalition regime,'' Mr Gautam claimed.

Firing a broadside against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and main opposition Congress, he said, ''they are two sides of the same coin and the BJS will emerge as the third force in Madhya Pradesh.'' Mr Gautam, who was an integral part of the BJP before entering BJS ranks, said that the BJP had deviated from its objective while the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had turned into a political weapon of the BJP.

The octogenarian also advocated a sea change in the political system and inclusion of clean-image persons in political parties. He also opined that regional parties be expanded to emerge as national entities.

Mr Gautam said that special economic zones should not be set up on agricultural land and farmers should be provided adequate irrigation facilites.

The BJS' Madhya Pradesh unit President Ashok Tripathy said that the party was gearing up for the coming assembly polls and a list of 150 candidates would be announced by Diwali.

Mr Tripathy also slammed Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his ''false'' announcements being made to ''appease'' voters.

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