BJP TODAY

June 1--15, 2003 - Vol. 12, No. 11

Advaniji appreciates Venkaiah initiatives in party functioning
Sahyog Prakostha inauguration
By Our Special Correspondent

Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani said on May 9 that the attention of the BJP, which was devoted mainly on governance since 1998 had now been shifting towards the people after Shri Venkaiah Naidu took over as the president of the Party. Shri Naidu was making systematic efforts towards this direction, he added.

Speaking on the occasion of the inauguration of the Sahyog Prakostha, he said that under the leadership of shri Naidu, the Party had launched the three programmes of "Samarpan", "Samvad" and now "Sahyog".

Shri Advani recalled that since Day one, when in 1998 the BJP-led colition took over, three had been attempts to scuttle it by creating rifts between the BJP and partners, between the Government and the party and "between Advani and the Prime Minister" They had succeeded in toppling the government even by one vote in April 1999. However in the general election in 1999, the NDA government was returned with a greater majority than before.

Three was no comparison between the performance of the NDA government during the last five years and that during the 45 years of Congress rule earlier.

Shri Advani referred to the recent "Chintan Baithak" held in Delhi in which about 50 peosous from different organisations affiliated to the Sangh Parivar took part. It was a rewarding experience, he said.

He fully endorsed the Prime Minister's stand that India's position with regard to talks with Pakistan remained the same-that Pakistan must stop cross -border terrorism before any talk with that country could take place.

Shri Advani appreciated the launch of the "Sahyog" programme by the BJP and said this would encourage relationship between the party and the ordinary workers. The ministers, he said, got cut off from the workers when they were in government and "Sahyog" programme would re-establish the links.

The Sahyog programme has got off to a flying start with Ministers visiting central office and workers meeting them