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BJP wants mid-term poll

The Bharatiya Janata Party prefers a mid-term poll instead of giving any other alliance a chance in the wake of the crisis triggered by the Jain Commission report at the Centre.

BJP president Lal Kishanchand Advani, however, said his party's "options are open" if the situation demanded. "I also feel that a mid-term poll is the only option in the present circumstances," he said when his attention was drawn to Prime Minister I K Gujral's statement at Calcutta on Saturday that elections were round the corner.

Monday's meeting of the BJP executive has been postponed to November 27 to chalk out the party's strategy at the Centre.

He ruled out the possibility of any adverse impact of the Sonia Gandhi factor on the BJP's prospects in the mid-term election. On the other hand, he said Sonia Gandhi's entry into active politics would be to the BJP's advantage.

Advani said the alliance with regional parties like Akali Dal in Punjab, the Haryana Vikas Party in Haryana, Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and the Samata Party in Bihar will continue.''Though we had not initiated any dialogue with other regional parties, an alliance with some of the United Front cannot be ruled out.''

The BJP, he said, was in favour of single party rule, yet "we are not averse to any alliance with like-minded parties".

Meanwhile, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam, once dubbed as a separatist outfit, had joined the national stream reflecting India's unity in diversity.

Referring to the death of Tamil Nadu-born Minister of State for Defence N V N Somu, a DMK leader, in a helicopter crash last week, Vajpayee said his sacrifice while on national duty reflected the country's unity in diversity.

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