The BJP will resort to a ‘‘carpet bombing’’ by fielding 27 senior leaders for over 50 public meetings across the nation on April 6. Coinciding with the party’s Foundation Day, these would mark the beginning of the next phase of electioneering. The party has planned a total of 300 meetings in this phase.Party general secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here today that PM Vajpayee will address a rally at Guwahati while his Deputy L.K. Advani will address a string of meetings at Basti, Khalilabad, Gorakhpur and Kasiya in Uttar Pradesh.The other leaders who would address rallies include HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, party chief M. Venkaiah Naidu, general secretary Pramod Mahajan, Health Minister Sushma Swaraj, Law Minister Arun Jaitley and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Referring to the Congress’ dismissive attitude, he said: ‘‘How can they say it is a non-issue when their party split on the foreign origin (of Sonia Gandhi)?’’ Naqvi did not consider the elections a referendum on the issue. He said: ‘‘We are fighting on the planks of development, good governance, stability and the leadership of Vajpayeeji.’’
