Sunday April 25 2004 09:48 IST PTI NEW DELHI: Unfazed by the exit polls predicting a narrowing gap between the ruling NDA and the Congress-led opposition, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Sunday said that he had "no cause for worry" although he conceded that it was not a "no contest" between them in the Lok Sabha elections.

Refusing to attach undue importance to the exit polls, most of which had shown the NDA returning to power with a reduced majority and the opposition improving its tally, he said while these polls were an "indicator", sometimes they go topsy-turvy.

Asked if he was worried by the latest election trends, which appear to have buoyed the Congress, Vajpayee responded with a laughter before saying "why is the Congress so much happy that now we have to be worried?"

Notwithstanding a punishing schedule during which he has logged over 50,000 air miles on the campaign trail, a relaxed Prime Minister answered a variety of questions on the election scenario, including the issue of succession, response of Muslims and criticism by the VHP, during an interview with PTI editors at his residence here.

Vajpayee said the elections were going well "as per our expectations" and "we confident that we will get a majority."

Asked if the BJP was worried in the context of the exit polls predictions, he shot back "there is no cause for worry."

To a question if the NDA would get more seats than what was predicted by the exit polls, he said it depended on areas. "The result of the exit polls so far are from areas where we had good expectations. Now we are in areas where there will be keen contest."

On a question of reaching a majority like in 1999, Vajpayee replied, “We are hoping.”

The Prime Minister said earlier polls predicted that the situation was bad in Karnataka for BJP but now they say "we will do well"

Asked about the Congress party's enthusiasm, he said the Congress has changed it views. "What is the basis for its enthusiasm," he said adding earlier they trashed the opinion polls which did not suit them.

When reminded that the BJP had claimed that it would get 300 seats on its own, Vajpayee said, "that is our target. If we get it, it will be good."

Pressed further on whether the party would get 300 on its own, he replied, "I don't say so."

When asked whether the BJP would adopt any new strategy in the remaining two phases of the elections like its planned focus to woo backward classes and Muslims, Vajpayee said, "our strategy will be to get people out of homes to vote.”

"In many places the voting had been low. We want to mobilise people. Door to door and man to man will be our emphasis."

He cited the case of Gujarat where he said BJP had strength and would get more seats but was surprised why there was low polling. "It is not good."

"Our supporters have taken it for granted that there is no contest. It should not be there."

Do you think it is a no-contest and you are way ahead?

“I don't accept that. This differs from state to state,” said Vajpayee.

To a question about Muslims' response to the BJP in this election, he said "the community is still thinking. It has not decided. But the situation is also not that Muslims are against us and will not shake hands with us. This attitude is changing."

On the BJP's prospects in Uttar Pradesh, he said that though the picture was not clear the party's seats would go up. In Bihar also he expected a similar performance.

Asked whether his recent statement that the Samajwadi Party had similar thinking with the BJP indicated that the two could come together in the post-poll scenario, Vajpayee said, "they (SP) would start howling. There are many possibilities. It is there now. It is difficult to detail them."

He said when he talked about similarity in thinking between the two parties it was in respect of issues like protection of democracy, fight against the emergency and the foreign origin issue.

To a question about his reported statement that he was worried about running a coalition, the Prime Minister said what he had meant was a compact coalition, which should not be unwieldy with single member parties. "The number of parties in the coalition should be less."

About the personal attack against him in the campaign, he said that the Congress raked up his alleged betrayal in the 1942 movement "knowing fully well that the allegation is baseless."

Before every election, he said the Congress raised it. "Before last elections, 54 Congress MPs had issued a joint statement. In the parliament also they raised this issue."

On the controversy over his successor in the party, Vajpayee denied a decision had been taken on this. "Definitely not. The question does not arise. I had said from the beginning that it is the party's job. In a democracy there is no question of succession. When the time comes the party will decide."

Asked if he had a personal opinion on who would succeed him, the Prime Minister said "I don't want to get into it."

Asked who he was referring to when he remarked that he was hurt more by criticism "from within", he said it was the VHP which made some comments against him on Friday and Saturday.

Source: New Ind Press.com