Bhubaneswar, Dec 20: The BJP on Saturday claimed that along with its new allies in Tamil Nadu and Orissa, it was better placed in 425 out of 542 Lok Sabha constituencies "and no other formation comes anywhere near our invincible position".

The political resolution adopted by the party on the second day of its three-day national executive here said the party had achieved this position "because of remarkable collapse of our principal adversaries" and "an ever-increasing number of people... looking up to the BJP with great expectations of stable governance, good governance and able leadership".

Briefing newsmen, party spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said the national executive unanimously appealed to party president LK Advani to enter the electoral battle, despite his repeated refusal to do so.

The meeting began its sitting with a surprise visitor, special messengers of AIADMK leader Jayalalitha, honouring party president LK Advani. The two messengers flew Saturday morning from Chennai to extend invitation from Jayalalitha requesting Advani to address a joint rally at Tiranelveli on January 3.

The event added further to the upbeat mood of the BJP, which passed a resolution on the coming mid-term election and current political situation affirming that the party is set to sweep the polls. It even claimed that even in northern states of UP and Madhya Pradesh, where the party holds more than three-fourths of the Lok Sabha seats, it has not reached the point of saturation. UP party chief Rajnath Singh assured an increase of at least sight seats and "if we cross the limit of 60, I do not know where we will stop".

Madhya Pradesh unit also reported that it will add to the present tally. Bihar president Yashwant Sinha said the gain will be a net 16 additional seats with a tally of 40.

But a major executive decision was to win some seats from the states so far unrepresented so that "the government to be formed is representative in character".

Only such a representative government could be accountable to the people. The signs from Tamil Nadu were considered only supporting this view of the party.

Sushma Swaraj said, "We feel stability without accountability is futile. We would like to provide a stable as wall as accountable government."

The party promised to set its agenda of good governance, which had become casualty during the United Front regime and the previous Congress misrule."

The national executive in the resolution said, "The moment has arrived for the BJP to play its destined role, to provide leadership to a nation betrayed by pretenders, to once again revive the spirit of optimism, opportunity and oneness in this 50th year of Independence."

It viewed the realignment of forces as a further sign of the disintegration of the United front and collapse of the Congress. In the situation it noted BJP as the only party.

The party lambasted the left, particularly the CPI(M). "The Marxists, like the proverbial snakes in the grass, were neither friends of their allies in the UF nor focus of the Congress, even while pretending to be both".

The party held the UF-Congress responsible for the disastrous economic health of the country. It further tried to prove the necessity for stability by driving home the point that it was the creation of political uncertainty. "It has made investors at home and abroad nervous about the Indian market."

The national executive tried to instill fear in the minds of voters by asserting that "there is a complete lack of confidence in regard to future investments". Apparently, this was stressed with a view to creating the wave for stability over which the BJP wants to ride to power.

Finally it called upon the people to give a resounding verdict to the BJP as the character of the UF and Congress had no fundamental difference. The final BJP slogan was to give a "government with a difference."

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.