At the Chintan Baithak of the
Bharatiya Janata Party
Mumbai - 18, 2003

Shri Venkaiah Naidu's call to BJP workers:
"Gear up to make Mission 2004 a grand success"

Presiding over the Chintan Baithak, Shri Venkaiah Naidu said, "It is the good fortune of the BJP that we have a great leader in Shri Atalji, whose popularity among the people is growing even after five years in office. In Shri Atalji and Shri Advaniji, we see the great qualities of Dr. Syamaprasad Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. The people have tested the performance of the NDA Government. They have seen how we have made coalition governance a success and taken India on the path of speedy development. They have also witnessed how India's stature has grown globally under Shri Atalji's leadership."

He added, "Our karyakartas should go among all sections of the people and communicate to them the achievements and historic initiatives of the NDA government. We should tell the people: 'You gave the Congress 47 years, sometimes with a two-thirds majority. You gave us 5 years with a limited mandate. You have seen the performance of Congress governments and you have also seen the track-record of Shri Vajpayee's government.' When the people see the comparison, they are bound to come to the right conclusion."

Shri Naidu emphasized that the "BJP is proud of its association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, since we derive both our ideology and idealism from the Sangh." He said, "It has been my conscious endeavour as the president of the BJP to improve coordination between the party and the government, and interaction between the party and other Sangh-inspired nationalist organizations. We have succeeded in this task to a significant extent and our efforts will continue."

Explaining the purpose of the Chintan Baithak, Shri Naidu said that introspection has been a part of the BJP's distinctive political tradition. The last such brainstorming session was held eight years ago in Virar near Mumbai. "It is a sign of our party's strength and self-confidence that we engage in a free and focused exchange of views in an informal atmosphere from time to time. I am sure that this Chintan Baithak will send the right message to our workers all over the country that they should gear up for the coming electoral challenges and make Mission 2004 a grand success."

Shri Pramod Mahajan, general secretary of the BJP and head of the party's election campaign committee, made a presentation on 'Mission 2004'. This was followed by a discussion on the current political situation in the country and in different States.

Deputy Prime Minister Shri L.K. Advani is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai tonight and will participate in the deliberations tomorrow and day after.