NDA smells power in Uttar Pradesh

Upbeat by the exit polls and internal assessment after the third phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh, the NDA leaders on Thursday claimed that their coalition was heading for a major victory in the State. NDA chairman and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, too, on Thursday expressed confidence that the BJP and its allies would do well in the State.

Vajpayee, who is likely to address an election rally in the next week in Lucknow, shared his confidence with former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu, who briefed him about the party's on-going campaign in the State. "The balance is steadily tilting in favour of the BJP in the State, and Vajpayee, too, agreed, saying that he was receiving positive feedback about the party's performance in UP," Naidu, the BJP's central election observer in UP, said.

Naidu said that the party would head for absolute majority in the 403-member strong Assembly. "By the 7th phase, the BJP-led NDA would end up crossing the magic figure of 202 to form the next Government," he said.

Regarding Vajpayee's election rally, Naidu said that he would certainly address one before April 28 when the State undergoes third phase of polling. "Since he is not keeping good health, the dates have not been finalised. He is very much willing to campaign in the State," he said.

Naidu's projection of the BJP's 'astounding performance' in the State is based on the feedback he received during his interaction with the grassroots level party officials. This assessment-cum-review was done between March 15 and April 17, the first round of such exercise by Naidu, who has restricted himself to the cadre mobilisation at the ground-level.

The JD(U) president Sharad Yadav, the BJP's key ally after Apna Dal of Sone Lal Patel, said the NDA alliance was heading to occupy not only the top slot but would also get majority to form the Government.

"As of now, there is neck to neck contest between the NDA and the BSP, but we would surge ahead of others in the remaining phases of poll," Yadav told media-persons in reference to the exit polls.

The BJP has pumped in all possible efforts and might to regain the support base in the State.

Barring Vajpayee, all Central and key State leaders have aggressively been campaigning in the State. According to Naidu, apart from Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha LK Advani and party president Rajnath Singh, Kalyan Singh, Kalraj Mishra and Vinay Katiyar are the most sought after leaders for addressing public meetings in the State.

"There is an undercurrent in favour of the BJP. The people have made up their mind to vote for change. On about 55 per cent seats, the BJP is in direct contest with the BSP, while the SP is in fight against us only in 40 per cent seats. In the triangular contest, the BJP is marching forward," Naidu said.

About the Congress and other small fries like the Rashtriya Lok Dal of Ajit Singh, Naidu claimed that they were restricted to a few pockets. "The Congress is not in sight in the State. After hitting headlines for a few days, the time is up for the Congress," he quipped.