Upbeat after its spectacular performance in Karnataka assembly polls, BJP today termed the results as a "turning point" that indicates the shape of things to come in run up to the Lok Sabha elections. Describing 2008 as a "year of change" in national politics, BJP's Prime Ministerial face LK Advani said his party's first win in a southern state showed the "geographical expansion" of the saffron party and "simultaneous shrinkage" of Congress.

The "triumph in Karnataka will prove to be a turning point", Advani said, as BJP emerged the leading party in the state assembly polls set to form the government in the state. "This geographical expansion of the BJP, and the simultaneous shrinkage of the Congress party almost all over the country, shows the shape of things to come in the run-up to the next Parliamentary elections," he said.

He dubbed the poll victory as a verdict against the Congress party's "politics of opportunism" and the JD(S)'s "politics of betrayal". Advani said the Congress party would be indulging in "self-delusion" if it thought that the people of Karnataka were influenced by the local factors.

While saying that there was no one strategy to be credited for the win, Advani said that he was confident of the party's performance in the coming state assembly polls.

Excerpts of the interview with LK Advani by TIMES NOW political editor Navika Kumar.

Navika: What is the model that the BJP is going to follow henceforth in election. Is it the Gujarat model or the Karnataka model?
LK Advani: Depends upon the situation at the time when the elections are held. I remember, when we fought the elections in 2003 in Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Rajasthan, we raised the issues of prices and development and roads and electricity. Someone mentioned to me that in this election, you have won because of 'BSP'. I ask, what BSP? BSP was not atall. Then he said BSP means Bijali-Sadak-Pani. I then said, that's correct. So it all depends on what is the issue in the given state.

Even in Karnataka I did refer to the attack on IISc, Bangalore. But, that did not mean we were going back to the old issues. Similarly, as far as the Gujarat election is concerned, had it not been the kind of vitriolic attack on Narendra Modi, of the kind that was made by our adverseries, developments and his achievements would have been the sole issue.

Navika: Does the next stage of elections in Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh bother you? What are the challenges ahead?
LK Advani: About 6-8 months back I was worried, but today as things are developing, we will get the renewed mandate in these states, as we got in Gujarat. The future of BJP is bright.

(As told to TIMES NOW political editor, Navika Kumar)