BJP asks party leaders to remain prepared for snap polls

With Trinamool Congress walking out of the ruling UPA and NCP threatening to follow suit, BJP top brass on Wednesday asked party leaders to stand united and remain battle-ready as the prospects of early polls loom large in the current political scenario.

In his inaugural address at BJP national executive here, party president Nitin Gadkari asked his party to prepare for polls as the Congress-led UPA government is a "sinking ship" and the people have lost all love for it.

"The national President conveyed in his speech the uncertain current political scenario...He said the nation is on the verge of change. Elections can be held anytime," BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters.

Significantly, Gadkari asked his party leaders to show "large-heartedness, be united and make all efforts to meet the target (of coming to power)".

The main opposition party has several senior leaders vying to become BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

"Gadkari discussed the current political scenario. This government is in the state of uncertainty. If the government falls of its own, BJP will not come to save this government," Prasad said.

Asked if the BJP is ready to face polls, Prasad asserted, "BJP is ready for polls. If polls are held within one month, we are ready."

Prasad said in view of the current situation the BJP president asked partymen to motivate themselves together towards the "big goal" of coming up to the expectations of the people, as the nation was "standing on the verge of change".

Gadkari appealed to all partymen to strengthen the party and stand united in a bid to achieve the goal of wresting power from the UPA. The BJP president termed Congress as a "sinking ship".

Replying to a media poser on the crisis in Maharashtra where NCP ministers have quit the government, Prasad said, "Since the UPA government is a sinking ship led by the Congress party, most of the allies are seeking avenues to leave the government and therefore we see the repeated spell of uncertainty."

"BJP's job is not to protect the Congress government, which is falling by itself," he added.

BJP alleged that there has been an "institutionalisation of corruption" in the UPA government along with subversion of democratic and constitutional institutions like the PAC and the JPC.

"UPA has also done marketisation of coalition politics. Every coalition partner is subjected to a price mechanism," Prasad said.

Claiming that BJP states were "better" ruled, he said, "BJP does not need a Congress certificate for good governance".

On the Prime Minister's remarks reminding the nation of the 1991 economic crisis, Prasad said the BJP-run states were doing well, recording higher growth even in such a negative scenario.

Prasad said Gadkari reminded the party cadre of "Good governance" during the Vajpayee-led NDA government where he used the "mantra of economics, environment, ecology and ethics".

"Economic management giving due importance to ecology, environment and ethical considerations and this sums up good governance," he said, adding that, "BJP has proved its record of governance, reform, pro-people policies and equitable growth.

Seeking to rope in more allies in the NDA in the coming times, he lashed out at the Congress for using CBI as an "instrument of Congress ally management".

On the Congress President's allegation that BJP was spreading canards, the BJP spokesperson said, "We reject it with contempt".