Can the NDA win a clear Majority ? My Answer is "Yes, we can"

- L. K. Advani
I was looking at the results of all the six Lok Sabha elections since 1989, when the BJP rose like a phoenix from its lowest figure of two MPs in 1984. I see that so far the BJP has won at least once from as many 297 Lok Sabha constituencies on its own since 1989. Many of them have been won by the BJP several times over. And if we include the additional 64 constituencies from which the BJP's stable allies in the NDA - Akali Dal, Shiv Sena, Janata Dal and Biju Janata Dal have won at least once since 1989, the total number of such constituencies represented by the NDA comes to 361. This means that we are already a formidable alliance and, if we work unitely and with a credible agenda of change that appeals to the people, the NDA can indeed win a decisive majority.
As far the BJP is concerned, it should be our firm resolve this time to scale higher than our highest point of achievement so far. After 1984 our graph had been steadily going up from one election after another. It is only in 2004 that we suffered a setback. Now whether elections are held in 2008 or 2009 the BJP's strength should surpass what it was in 1999.
In planning our election strategy aimed at winning a decisive mandate, we should, of course, recognise an important feature about the current political map of India. In several states, which together account for a sizeable number of seats in Parliament, neither the BJP nor our current allies in the NDA has a strong presence. Therefore, even if the people in these States, like their counterparts else where, want to see a strong Government with a decisive mandate at the Centre, they feel constrained by State specific conditions. We saw in 2004 how the final out come of the parliamentary election became somewhat of an aggregate of separate State-specific outcomes.
We will have to overcome this dichotomy. For this purpose. I would like to persuasively tell our friends in those regional political parties that are strong in these states. If you really wish to see a positive change at the Centre, let us together strengthen our common battle against the UPA Government. The NDA has recently passed a resolution to contest the next general election on the basis of a common agenda of governance.
In this context, I have a special appeal to make to anti-communist parties in West Bengal and Kerala. Please do not be under the illusion that either the Communists will completely and irreversibly sever their links with the Congress or that the Congress will abandon the Communists. The Communists are supporting the Congress at the Centre today, and they will do so again in the future if the need arises. This being the case, the only way to defeat the Communists in West Bengal and Kerala is by strengthening the NDA.
(Excerpted from Mr. LK Advani's concluding remarks at the BJP National Council meeting on January 29, 2008)