BJP won8217;t dump coalition partners, says Thakre

Asked whether the BJP will enter into an election understanding with the Janata Dal in Bihar, Thakre said the BJP-Samata Party alliance in the State was quot;formidable.quot;

quot;We will discuss it only if a formal proposal comes to us from other quarters for firming up seat adjustments,quot; the BJP president said, when his attention was drawn to senior Janata Dal leader Ram Vilas Paswan and Bharatiya Jan Congress president Jagannath Mishra8217;s inclination towards a poll tie-up with the BJP-Samata Party to consolidate anti-Laloo Yadav votes in Bihar.

Asked whether his party preferred the postponement of elections with the ongoing military operations in Kargil in view, Thakre said Lok Sabha elections should be conducted as per schedule with the situation in Kargil now under control. quot;We have already achieved a major success in Kargil,quot; he said.

The BJP president said he favoured a five-phase election keeping the deployment of forces in view.

Thakre criticised Communist Party of India Marxist general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet and his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan for 8220;compromising on corruption8221; by sharing the dais with Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Prasad Yadav during the RJD national convention here on July 5.

Enumerating the achievements of the Vajpayee Government, he said, quot;The time has come for the people to teach a lesson to those who toppled the Government.quot;