DEHRA DUN: The three-day national executive meeting and the Parivartan Rally at the Parade Grounds here has left the Bharatiya Janata Party upbeat. It is already talking about winning over the electorate before the Assembly elections due early next year.

Sceptical of winning a clear majority till a few days ago, the regional leaders are talking of having won half the battle. They say the electorate has been made to see the need for good governance by the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the need to fight terrorism and pseudo-secularists by L.K. Advani and party chief Rajnath Singh.

"It is time to knock at every door and ensure a vote for change and we will do it," says the former Union Minister and a keen aspirant for the Chief Minister's post, Maj. Gen. (retd.) Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri. He has been going around the State seeking the support of the people to realise the Uttaranchal of their dreams, which drove their separate State agitation. "We promise to set examples of good conduct ourselves for others to follow. And this is all that is needed besides proper need-oriented planning and execution. Of course we will undo the wrongs committed by the Congress," he says.

Congress counter

Gen. Khanduri's active role in the pre-election exercise may influence a chunk of the ex-servicemen votes, is the general feeling but he may be countered by the Congress Minister, Lt. Gen (retd.) T.P.S. Rawat, who enjoys influence in certain pockets.

The former Chief Minister, Bhagat Singh Koshiary, enjoying much support in the Kumaon region, feels the presence of national leaders and the rally had shown that the BJP was still a force in the State. Asked why the people rejected the party immediately after it carved out Uttaranchal, Mr. Koshiary says the people had now realised their blunder. "We bagged just 19 seats in the Assembly elections but the people saw through the deceit of the Congress and the BJP led in 41 Assembly constituencies in the Lok Sabha elections. This indicates a trend developing in our favour," he says.

Venkiah Naidu who went around the rally venue to `read' the pulse of the electorate and the party leader in-charge of Uttaranchal, Ravi Shankar Prasad, felt that the BJP had a better chance of winning this time as the Congress would be facing a double anti-incumbency factor, besides having to explain the large number of scams and lal battis (beacons) distributed by it to over 200 party favourites. This had cost the public exchequer over Rs. 2 crore a month.

The Congress, while realising that it would have to work hard to retain power, laughs away the allegations of corruption and non-governance being levelled by the BJP.

"We have laid wonderful roads all over the State and infrastructure in the form of massive industrial estates at Hardwar, Pant Nagar and Selakuin. A large number of primary, higher and technical education institutions have been established and development is there for all to see. The people are being motivated and offered incentives to start their own enterprise. The masses have understood Chief Minister Narain Dutt Tiwari's mantra of the need for a strong will and dedication to learn and earn. They are more than happy with our performance," says the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and PWD, Indira Hirdeyesh.

State Congress president Harish Rawat, who has been at loggerheads with Mr. Tiwari, seems to be gearing up to ensure yet another victory for the party so that he can occupy the top job that eluded him last time.

The Congressmen are pinning hopes on some package that may be announced by the Prime Minister at the Congress Chief Ministers conclave in Naini Tal later this month.

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