Performance of NDA crucial in LS polls: Advani

Advani has said that the performance of NDA and UPA would be a major issue before the electorates in next general elections.

Apprehending early Lok Sabha polls in the wake of differences between the Congress and the Left parties over the nuclear deal, senior BJP leader LK Advani on Tuesday said performance of NDA and UPA would be a major issue before the electorates in next general elections.

8220;The issue of two coalitions NDA and UPA and their performance will affect the polls in a major way as voters will see the contrast between the two,8221; Advani told reporters after launching his book Mera Desh Mera Jeevan.

8220;People will definitely back the NDA coalition in the coming Lok Sabha polls,8221; he said, adding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has 8216;lost his image8217; by inducting people with criminal background in the Cabinet.

8220;In politics, people with criminal background were there for long, but it was for the first time that such people were inducted in the Cabinet which has severely damaged the clean image of Prime Minister,8221; Advani said.

Assailing the decision of Congress-led government in Jammu and Kashmir over the issue of allotment of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board, he said that the revocation of the decision under the pressure of coalition partner PDP amounts to surrender before the 8216;communal forces8217;.

Criticising Congress8217;s handling of coalition partners, Advani slammed the party for openly saying it would go ahead with the nuclear deal while it 8216;surrendered8217; before the PDP and revoked allotment of land to the Amarnath shrine board.

8220;Since beginning, the Congress-led governments are surrendering before communal, fundamentalist and forces behind religious terrorism,8221; he alleged.

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8220;In the case of Ram Sethu it has played with the sentiments of large number of Hindus by questioning the existence of Lord Rama through an affidavit in the Supreme Court,8221; he said, adding, 8220;I don8217;t think that it will ever do such a thing with other religious groups.8221;

Advani said if such a situation will continue then one day they fundamentalists might say that the land allotted to the Army should also be taken back.

8220;We are in an era of coalition government and those coalition governments must function in the interest of the people for the promotion of culture, not only for the sake of investment,8221; he said.

Advani added that there is lot of scope for religious tourism in the country and BJP will include it in its manifesto after discussions.