BJP promises NDA government at centre by 2014

Mumbai, May 25  Bharatiya Janata Party chief Nitin Gadkari Friday asserted that the party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government would rule the centre after the 2014 general elections.

"A BJP-led NDA government will come to the centre after the next elections. We shall fulfil the task of making India a superpower in the world," Gadkari said amidst thunderous applause at a public rally marking the end of the two-day party national convention held here.

Gadkari took the opportunity to lambaste the ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government as responsible for all the ills confronting the country, ranging from corruption to inflation to unemployment.

The BJP chief said that the NDA government would fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the masses when it comes to power.

Speaking at the rally, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said that the country had a "Nirmal baba" government in New Delhi, referring to a self-proclaimed godman facing charges of cheating and fraud.

Blaming the Congress-led UPA responsible for the steep devaluation of the Indian rupee, he said there was something mysterious about it, and called upon the economist-turned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to answer to the country on this issue.

Modi, considered a prime ministerial candidate by some within the BJP, criticised the centre for treating opposition-ruled states as "municipalities".

"The UPA government is treating the states ruled by other parties like municipalities. It has damaged the constitutional set-up to the extent that no other previous government at the centre did in the past 50 years," he thundered.

The rally which ended late Friday night saw the attendance of the top BJP leadership, besides chief ministers of eight states ruled by the party, and various state party leaders.

However, senior leaders L. K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj could not attend owing to prior commitments and the party has dismissed all speculation on their absence.