"The so-called Third Front cannot offer an alternative. It was a tried-and-failed experiment. Discredited and disgruntled leaders cannot provide alternatives," said BJP state president Venkaiah Naidu.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday ruled out the possibility of the formation of a political third-front in the country.
"The so-called Third Front cannot offer an alternative. It was a tried-and-failed experiment. Discredited and disgruntled leaders cannot provide alternatives. Cohorts of the UPA talk-out in the morning, walk-out in the afternoon and bail-out (in the event of voting) in the evening. This is their programme. Can they provide an alternative? Certainly not," Venkaiah Naidu said while addressing a press conference here.
Naidu went on to say, "Please recall the good work done by the NDA government under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in terms of giving to the people, hope, confidence and participation, meaningful growth, and also in containing price rise. The choice before the people is clear, and that is to bring back the BJP led NDA."
The BJP leader announced that his party would take up its campaign in Andhra Pradesh and also in other southern states, urging upon the people to join the national mood under the slogan "BJP for Parliament". "We must relieve the country of the misery and misrule of the Congress led UPA government, and bring back the BJP led NDA," he said.
Venkaiah Naidu announced that he will be going around Andhra Pradesh, covering all districts, after the Budget Session of the Parliament, to meet the people and explain to them the challenges being faced by the country, and assuring them of good governance by the BJP led NDA.
The BJP leader also said that the Prime Minister was unable to explain his failures even after taking the support of poetry. "Guilty of his government's failures, he is becoming intolerant of criticism. Never before has the government been so repeatedly questioned on its credibility," he said.
Venkaiah Naidu said that the country's image has suffered seriously because of large scale corruption which has become the notorious feature of the UPA government. "India is now perceived worldwide as a country suffering with policy paralysis and mal-governance. Inflation and corruption have become the hallmarks of the UPA government," he said.
"The UPA has created the perception that India is insecure and suffering. The Rupee is at an all-time low. Every section is unhappy and angry; all are eagerly waiting to throw this government out," he said.
"The NDA started with 4% growth in 1998, and took the country to 8+% when it demitted the office. The UPA, instead of working towards 10% growth and 5% inflation rate, in its nine years, achieved exactly the opposite i.e., 10% inflation and 5% growth. Food inflation at 10+%, fiscal deficit at 5.2% of GDP, current account deficit at 5.4% of GDP. For the first time, the external debt is more than the foreign-exchange reserves," Venkaiah Naidu elucidated.
The BJP leader also accused the UPA Government of politicising terror. Criticising Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, he said that the Home Minister talks about Hindu terror, and read out the names of rape victims seemingly unaware that he was not allowed to do so by law.
Venkaiah Naidu said that the UPA, which has a dismal record in office, enters the last year of its rule, India is no longer on the global map as it was a decade ago. "The model of governance of the UPA is unfit for the world's largest democracy. It is on its way out. It is leaving behind the economy in a mess. It has discredited the polity," he said. (INN)