The Bharatiya Janata Party today advised its chief ministers to accelerate developmental activities in their respective states and ensure that the benefits of various initiatives reach the grassroots level.

The directive came after a meeting of the seven BJP chief ministers with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence in New Delhi.

BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu exhorted them to lay special emphasis on the 'BSP' factor -- BSP being the acronymn for bijli, sadak, paani (power, roads, water).

Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and Finance Minister Jaswant Singh were also present at the meeting.

The chief ministers gave detailed accounts of the performance of their respective governments, with an overview of various projects, both local and central, relating to roads, housing, power and irrigation. They also spoke about the needs of their states.

The finance minister responded to their queries. Advani too intervened at certain points to respond to questions relating to the home ministry and the Northeast.

Naidu said the chief ministers suggested that states be empowered to regulate forest lands and construct hotels in the sea.

At his own separate meeting with the chief ministers, Naidu discussed the political situation and was assured that the conditions are right for the party for the parliamentary elections.

They also discussed other issues like the party's campaign and the chief ministers' availability for campaigning.

Naidu said there is no question of removing Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda. "We are satisfied with [Munda's] explanation [why he sacked state minister Samaresh Singh]," Naidu said. He said there was no sense in giving credence to Singh's allegations against Munda "because he [Singh] has no credibility".

Singh has demanded Munda's resignation, accusing him of corruption and a dictatorial style of functioning.

Naidu said members of the newly formed North East People's Forum, including Nationalist Congress Party leader Purno Sangma, met Vajpayee and other senior BJP leaders and requested that the forum be considered a partner of the National Democratic Alliance.

Naidu said he welcomes the move, but the BJP would retain its separate identity in the Northeast.