PATHANKOT: Bharatiya Janata Party Leader Atal Behari Vajpayee has ruled ‘out any alliance with the Congress in the formation of a Government at the Center after the elections, Mr. Vajpayee told Presspersons before launching the party poll campaign in Punjab last Saturday, that even if the BJP failed to secure a majority, it would still be able to form the Government as, “several regional parties have promised their support to us.” “The BJP on its own would challenge the hegemony of the Congress, as the party ‘was contesting 464 Lok Sabha seats on its ‘own, and 51 seats were being contested by its partners Shiv Sena and Samata Party,” he said.
Mr. Vajpayce said that the Congress had soft-pedaled the issue of corruption.
Asked why the BJP had not fielded any Muslim candidate, he said that the party had put up candidates who are expected to win. “The BIP has no ill will against the Muslim community,” he said.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 17, 1996
