February 26, 2002	Tuesday	Zilhaj 13, 1422

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NEW DELHI, Feb 25: India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was routed on Sunday in state polls, including in its traditional power base Uttar Pradesh, denting its credibility as the dominant force in national politics.

BJP Chief Minister Rajnath Singh conceded defeat in Uttar Pradesh, India’s biggest state, after his party came in second behind the populist regional Samajwadi Party.

The Congress party also ousted a BJP government in the hill state of Uttaranchal, toppled the BJP and its Akali Dal allies in Punjab to the north, and looked well-placed to win power in the remote northeastern state of Manipur.

The BJP’s showing was worse than expected and, while the state polls will not drive the BJP-led national coalition from office, they could reduce Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s prestige.

“This is a clear verdict against the BJP,” Italian-born Congress leader Sonia Gandhi told reporters.

The state polls came at a crucial time for the government.

Not only is it locked in a military stand-off with Pakistan, it also badly needs to revive reforms to boost economic growth.

The BJP had tried to win votes by playing on its tough stand against nuclear rival Pakistan — it sent the Indian army to the border to force Islamabad to crack down on militants whose campaign against Indian rule in Kashmir New Delhi says is supported by Pakistan.

Islamabad denies the charge.

But most voters said they were more concerned with the economy, jobs and basic services like electricity and roads.

Economic growth is estimated at 5.4 per cent in the financial year ending in March — high by developed country standards but too low to tackle poverty.

“The result will have no bearing on the stability of the government at the centre,” Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Pramod Mahajan told reporters. But some said the poor showing might make the national government, which presents its annual budget on Thursday, even more reluctant to push through unpopular economic reforms.

“It is bound to affect the central government as it may go slow on taking harsher economic measures. They would not want to alienate the people more,” said D.K. Srivastava, an economist with the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.—Reuters