'Cong trying every trick to keep BJP from coming to power'

BJP today charged the Congress with trying every trick, including invoking the threat to secularism and tying up with any force, to keep the main opposition from coming to power after seeing the "writing on the wall that its defeat is certain" in lok Sabha polls.

Speaking at the BJP National Executive here, party president Rajnath Singh said there is growing antagonism against the Congress mainly due to "malgovernance, indecisiveness and corruption" in the UPA government.

"Congress can see the writing on the wall and knows that defeat is writ large there. Congress is losing the elections and hence is trying to ensure that BJP does not get a clear majority. It is making every effort to stop the BJP's march to success," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters, quoting Singh.

The BJP Chief said since Congress is aware it is going to lose the polls, it is now trying every trick in the book to ensure that a "majboor (weak)" government is formed at the Centre.

Though Singh did not name Aam Admi Party, whose growing clout is a matter of concern for the BJP, party sources said he was making a veiled reference to it. Congress is supporting the AAP government in Delhi and BJP has often alleged that the latter is the B-team of the former.

BJP is also concerned about Congress encouraging the non-UPA, non-NDA parties to keep the saffron party from forming a government in case of a hung Parliament.

Rajnath Singh also referred to the issue of secularism, a matter on which Congress has targeted it often, and said many forces want India to be a weak state.

"The party president gave the assurance that BJP-led NDA will form a government which will not only be strong on economics and ethics but will also never compromise on the issue of nationalism," Javadekar said.

Singh described UPA government as an NPA-non-performing asset- and said it is time to "write it off".

"He said India attained Swarajya (independence) in 1947 but now it is time for Purna Swarajya (full independence) by making the country free of corruption and unemployment," Javadekar said.

In his speech, Rajnath Singh claimed that people will give a decisive mandate to BJP and NDA will form a government at the Centre.

He congratulated Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh for their victory in the Assembly polls.

He also praised Vasundhara Raje for leading BJP to an unprecedented victory in Rajasthan and Harsh Vardhan for helping the party emerge as the largest in Delhi Assembly polls.

"After the Goa conclave (where Narendra Modi was declared the BJP Campaign Committee Chief) not only the weather but also the attitude of the people has also changed," Singh, said.

Attacking the ruling party, the BJP president said Congress was formed in 1885 by a British citizen A O Hume as a safety valve. The party, he said, did not accept Bal Gangadhar Tilak's call for Swaraj (self-rule) in 1905 and it was only in 1930 that a resolution for independence was passed by the Congress.

At the on-going national Executive meet, BJP will give final touches to its resolutions on the political and economic situation in the country. These two resolutions will be passed at the two-day national council beginning tomorrow.

State units will also present reports on their state of preparedness for the lok Sabha elections and formation of booth level committees.

This being the last conclave before the general elections, the party will also set its roadmap for the battle ahead, sources said.