Facing trouble from NDA allies –TDP and Trinamool Congress-- as well as opposition congress over continuance of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, BJP'S Andhra Pradesh unit on Monday exuded confidence that the Vajpayee-led central government would weather the storm as the "number game is in our favour". The state BJI spokesman P Prabhakar Rao told newspersons that the "situation in Gujarat is near normal and the government had recently held elections in about 70,000 gram panchayats. How would it have been possible if there was anarchy?"

He alleged that the strife in Gujarat was being "exaggerated" by some vested-interest groups and lashed out at Congress saying that the main aim of the recent congress chief minister's conference at Guwahati "appeared to be aimed at destablising the NDA government and capture power".

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On Sonia Gandhi's alleged comment about Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said she should publicly apologise to Vajpayee.
To a query, he revealed that BJP would oppose Andhra Pradesh government's decision to hike power tariff.
Meanwhile, Vijaywada unit Congress workers staged a dharna in front of the sub-collector' office in the city demanding dismissal of the Modi government.

They also alleged that TDP, by allowing the BJP-led alliance to continue at the Centre, was causing damage to the party's secular image.

Later, the agitators submitted a memorandum to the sub-collector enlisting their demands.
Bureau Report