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Govindacharya's statement on Ayodhya surprises Vajpayee

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today expressed 'surprise' over the reported statement of Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary K N Govindacharya that the BJP still had on its agenda issues like the Ayodhya temple, Article 370 and the Common Civil Code.

When newspersons sought his reaction over the statement during the course of a news conference in Ahmedabad, the prime minister said, ''I will talk to him to know what is the purpose behind such a statement, if at all. Only then will I be able to make a comment.'' Vajpayee, however, said he was 'surprised' by the statement which, he said, he had read in some newspapers.

Earlier, in a statement issued after his arrival in Ahmedabad on a day's tour of Gujarat, the prime minister said India had achieved a resounding success in 'Operation Vijay' and that the same success awaited the country in 'Operation Vikas'.

He said the National Democratic Alliance was going to the electorate with a 'self-evident' record of performance.

''We also go to the people with a solemn promise that we shall accomplish the incomplete agenda with even greater dedication and determination in our next term in office.'' He said the alliance's vision for the next five years was clearly spelt out in the common manifesto.

''If given a fresh mandate to govern, I promise that India will witness unprecedented progress in all spheres in the next five years. Faster and more balanced development, with benefits to all regions and all sections of society will be my top priority,'' he added.

The prime minister pointed out that the NDA had entered the electoral fray seeking renewed mandate from the people on the basis of two Ps: performance and promise. ''The performance of our government in the short time that we have been in office is there for all to see. We have faced all the challenges in the past 17 months with dedication and determination, achieving success on many fronts,'' he said.

Vajpayee said India's victory in Kargil had infused a sense of pride and self-confidence among the people of this country. ''Our national security is stronger than ever before. In spite of having had to fight a war, our economy is also buoyant and, contrary to the propaganda of our adversaries, we have succeeded in bringing communal tension and violence to a record low,'' he added.

UNI

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