NEW DELHI, Jan 8: India's ruling coalition on Thursday asked Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to select dates for national elections, amid signals the polls could be held six month ahead of schedule to reap advantage from a glowing economy and better ties with Pakistan.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which groups around 20 legislative partners and is led by Mr Vajpayee's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in a conclave voted to give a free hand to the prime minister to decide the dates.

"NDA leaders expressed total confidence in the prime minister's wisdom in deciding the dates for the polls," Defence Minister George Fernandes, convenor of the ruling alliance, told reporters after the meeting in New Delhi.

The BJP will meet separately Sunday and is likely to push for early polls to parliament's 545-seat elected lower house, or Lok Sabha.

The BJP-led government, meanwhile, Thursday announced hefty duty cuts for the aviation industry and eased tax rules for low-wage workers and pensioners, in a move expected to shore up support. "The NDA partners are keen on early Lok Sabha elections," a NDA source told AFP.

Mr Vajpayee will attend the BJP brainstorming meet Sunday and Monday in the Hyderabad. "That elections should be held soon has almost been decided. The party rank and file want them soon to cash in on the feel-good factor in the country," senior BJP leader J.P. Mathur said.

Mr Mathur said the most likely date for the world's biggest election would be in April or May. The election can be held any time before October. But analysts say the economic growth - which soared to 8.4 percent in the quarter ending September - came on the back of a bountiful monsoon, which may or may not be repeated in 2004.

The BJP is upbeat after sweeping the main opposition Congress party out of power in three states in Dec 1 regional elections. A BJP leader said Mr Vajpayee had overcome reservations about early polls.

In the past, Mr Vajpayee has been reported to want to become the first Indian prime minister from outside the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty's Congress party to serve a full five-year term. Mr Vajpayee, 79, has also had an eye on the history books in relations with Pakistan.

After a near-war between the two countries in 2002, Mr Vajpayee in April announced he was on a final peace-making mission. On Tuesday, India and Pakistan agreed to restart stalled dialogue from February.

Top BJP strategist Pramod Mahajan said Monday that the warming ties between Pakistan and India "will help the BJP in the forthcoming general elections."

Procedurally, Mr Vajpayee's cabinet needs to pass a resolution to dissolve parliament and the autonomous Election Commission will decide the date for a poll. The parliament would hold a special session to pass a budget.-AFP