Aiming to exploit the hostility among UPA constituents and secure in the belief that it has found an emotive issue in Ram Sethu, the BJP on Sunday announced that it was in poll mood while outlining programmes for the next few months to galvanise the party’s rank and file as also the masses.

Summing up the three-day proceedings of the National Executive, party president Rajnath Singh said the BJP was ready to face any challenge. He, however, refused to predict the time of the snap poll saying he was no astrologer.

In his address earlier to the executive, L K Advani too asserted that “the party is ready”. Both Singh and Advani said the party would have more allies for the coming electoral battle.

Even as the party passed resolutions on Ram Sethu and terrorism, Singh parried questions on who will be the party’s prime ministerial candidate. He said Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani were the tallest leaders and the media would not be kept in the dark about the candidate for the top post.

Advani himself tried to set at rest speculation about leadership when he deliberately ended his speech at the valedictory session hoping that “Atalji would soon be in our midst. Let us all pray that this happens very soon and he continues to lead and guide us as in the past”.

The national executive condemned the attack on BJP workers, including three women, in Chennai saying there was no bigger example of political fascism. Advani spoke to the Home Minister and Ravi Shankar Prasad spoke to the DGP in the wake of these attacks allegedly by DMK activists.

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