A CIVIL WAR is going on in Congress, not BJP: Venkaiah

After L K Advani's comments appreciating the leadership of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan caused a flutter, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said too much is being read into the comments of the party's patriarch.

"Some people are trying to read too much into Advaniji's statement in Gwalior. I do not understand where is the controversy?  Advaniji praised Narendra Modi, Advaniji has praised Shivraj Singh Chouhan and when he goes to Chattisgarh, he praises Raman Singh," Naidu told reporters.

"He praised even Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi because our chief ministers are doing an excellent job. BJP-ruled states are doing very well. The planning commission has also accepted this," he said.

Taking exception to the reported comments made by Congress leaders and the media reports about the internal differences in BJP, he said there are no differences within the party and the issue of declaring a leader for the ensuing parliamentary elections has not been discussed yet.

"There is no discussion at any time, at any level about the issue of leadership for the coming parliamentary elections. Unlike the Congress, we are a democratic party. People will have their views and there is nothing wrong about it. The appropriate forum is the parliamentary board and it will meet at an appropriate time and then decide about the leader," he said.

"There is no division whatsoever. There is no civil war. Some people are not able to digest the growing popularity of the BJP. It is a campaign started by them. But there is no such division in the party. The party is fully capable of taking a decision," he said.

Congress leaders were talking about the internal differences in the BJP without setting their own house in order, he said.

"Congress, without setting its own house in order, talked about the BJP. The government is marred by policy paralysis and indecision. In fact, Digvijay Singh (Congress general
secretary) said it is not good to have two power centres. Some Congress leaders want the young leader. If there is a civil war, it is in the Congress," Naidu said.

"I only appeal to the (BJP) workers not to be confused. The misadventure of Congress will boomerang," Naidu said.

Asked about reports that former BJP president Nitin Gadkari has declined to head the campaign for five state elections, he said the issue has not been discussed in the parliamentary board.

The three-day national executive of the BJP, to be held in Goa from June 7, would discuss the party's preparation and strategy for the coming elections in five states and the
prevailing political, economic and security situation in the country, he said.

"This (national executive) meeting is important because of the prevailing political situation in the country and also the declining popularity of the UPA government, resulting in instability at the Centre. People are becoming impatient with the government. There is a discussion at the every level, how long will this government continue. People are waiting for an early election," the former BJP president said.

Alleging that the United Progressive Alliance government has been a failure on all fronts, he claimed that it is evident from the slide in growth rate, value of rupee against the dollar, decrease in exports and rise in imports and fall in industrial production.

The UPA government talked about the Food Security Bill and Land Acquisition Bill now only to divert people's attention from its failures and corruption allegations, he charged.

"If the Food Security Bill is so important, why did you wait for so long? Of course, it is important. But the government got crucial bills passed earlier like the one of Foreign Direct Investment. Why did you not take up food security and land acquisition bills earlier," he said.

The Food Security Bill needs to be discussed in Parliament in view of its importance and the concerns expressed by some states, Naidu added.