Jammu, March 15 Union Minister Ramdas Athawale expressed confidence on Sunday that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win the upcoming state assembly elections in several states and one Union Territory.
The Election Commission announced the schedule for the assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory, with polling to be held on a single day in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry on April 9, in two phases in West Bengal on April 23 and 29, and in Tamil Nadu on April 23.
"In the five states and UTs, our alliance (NDA) will definitely come to power, except in Kerala, where we are also continuing our efforts to gain power," Athawale told reporters here.
He said the BJP-led NDA is already in power in Assam and Puducherry and is confident of winning the forthcoming elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
In West Bengal, Union Minister Athawale acknowledged the political strength of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, noting her role in ending decades of Left rule and her earlier association with the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
However, he alleged that the current situation in the state reflects rising law-and-order concerns, including crimes against women and political violence, claiming that the state government has not been fully effective in controlling the situation.
In Tamil Nadu, he criticized the ruling DMK government, alleging that development work over the past five years has not met expectations, and that incidents of atrocities against Dalits have increased.
He said factions of AIADMK, BJP, and several smaller parties are working together, raising the possibility of a change in power in the state.
In Kerala, the minister said the BJP is receiving an encouraging response from voters, particularly in urban areas such as Thiruvananthapuram, where the BJP won the mayoral election.
"What exactly will happen is not certain, but we believe that out of the five, our government will definitely come to power in four places. And in Kerala as well, we are continuing our efforts to bring an NDA government," the president of the Republican Party of India (Athawale) said.
On foreign policy, the minister said dialogue with Pakistan can only begin after an end to cross-border terrorism.
Referring to earlier efforts during the tenure of former Prime Minister Vajpayee and Pakistan's then leader Pervez Musharraf, he said India has consistently maintained that talks can move forward only if Pakistan stops supporting terrorist activities.
"Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, while issues related to the Pakistan-occupied territory remain a matter of dispute. But good relations are possible if terrorism ends," he said.
He rejected allegations by some Congress leaders that Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power by making false claims, saying he presented facts before the public regarding lack of development and rising corruption during the UPA period.