BJP terms election results ''begining of 'Operation Change'''

Buoyed by its 'encouraging' showing in the Uttar Pradesh local body polls and the two Lok Sabha byelections in Bihar, where it retained both seats, the BJP today claimed that it was the commencement of ''Operation Change' in the country.

BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here that in Bihar, the BJP, as well as its ally, Janata Dal (United), had done well by retaining the seats vacated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his Deputy Sushil Modi. In Bhagalpur, where the votes were on religious basis, the results had shown that the party was able to get votes for Shahnawaz Hussain and retain the seat with impressive margin.

''The good showing of the party's mayoral candidates in Uttar Pradesh had exposed the hollowness of ruling Samajwadi Party which had not been able to establish inroads in the mass base,'' he said, noting that the party had won over 50 per cent of the seats in the local body elections, notwithstanding the ''unfair hurdles posed by the Samajwadi Party-backed administration.'' Mr Naqvi alleged that in Moradabad, the administration had colluded with the ruling party to deny the BJP mayoral nominee his ''hard-earned victory'', using unfair means although he had secured 3,000 votes. ''The people were protesting against this and the state government prevented several BJP leaders including state party chief Keshri Nath Tripathi and himself from entering the area,'' he said, adding that they did not insist on going to the area because they did not want to add to the chaos.

''Our local leaders are protesting against the injustice'', Mr Naqvi added.

He said his party was of the view that there could be no free and fair elections under the Samajwadi Party and hence they had requested holding of Assembly elections under President's Rule as there were reports to suggest the the government would do everything possible to retain 240 identified seats. ''We will meet President A P J Abdul Kalam shortly to convey our apprehensions and demand,'' he said, adding that the party would make a similar demand to the Election Commission to hold elections on the lines of Bihar.

The party, in the meanwhile, has convened a training camp for all BJP ministers from party-ruled states at Mumbai tomorrow to help them discharge their duties in the most effective manner, Mr Naqvi added.

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