Advani completes speech in nick of time

Bhatapara, Chhattisgarh, Nov 18 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial nominee L K Advani today won a race against time when he finished his speech at a poll meeting just two minutes before the clock struck 1700 hrs signalling the end of campaigning for Chhattisgarh's second-phase hustings.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha did not even accept supporters' garlands and made a beeline to address the gathering here. In his address, the former Union home minister flayed the Congress for lapses in stamping out terrorism and reining in inflation.

Lauding Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh for his efforts towards developing the state, the former deputy premier even called him by his popular name 'Chaur Wale Baba' (the elder who provides rice) and promised that if the National Democratic Alliance was voted to power in the general elections then ''there will be an end to insurgency and inflation will be minimised.'' He asked the United Progressive Alliance regime to provide the reason for delay in execution of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru.

Later leaving the venue in a hurry so as to avoid violation of the Model Code of Conduct, he apologised to people for not accepting their garlands due to paucity of time and promised them that in future he would devote more time to this area.

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