NDA may get chance to form next govt: Advani

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Senior BJP leader L. K. Advani on Wednesday said there was all possibility of the NDA getting a chance to form the next government at the Centre, but remained non-committal on whether he was still in the race for prime ministership.

High on the initial response received by his Jan Chetna Yatra in Bihar after support from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Advani, on the second day of his yatra, said going by the present conditions in the country, the UPA government is unlikely to complete its term.

"Even though elections are not so near, the way this UPA government is running, there is a concern that elections could happen before time. There is all possibility that the NDA will get a chance to form the next government," he told mediapersons here.

On the issue of prime ministership, Advani remained elusive and continued with the suspense on whether he is in the race or not.

"At present, the elections are not so near. The party will decide as to who will be its prime ministerial candidate when the elections come," he said when asked on the issue, clarifying that even in 2009 elections he had not declared his candidature for prime ministership.

"There is a possibility of early polls under the present situation because of corruption and black money," he said.

On a specific question on whether he was willing to be the PM candidate if the party agrees on it, Advani refused to reply saying, "I have already said what I wanted."

He was replying to a volley of questions on whether he was still in the race for the PM's post on the second day of his rath yatra which began at Sitabdiara in Saran district, the birth place of late Jayaprakash Narayan, on Tuesday.

Advani said people were imputing motives now on the purpose of his yatra. "It is not possible for people to imagine that someone can take out a nation-wide yatra on the issue of corruption."