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New Delhi: Ahead of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)'s October 17 agitation on the Ram temple issue at Ayodhya, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on October 10 night said a legislation or a court order might not end the controversy and only a negotiated settlement between the two communities could provide a lasting solution.

While there could be three ways to resolve the issue - court order, legislation or through negotiation - he said the first two might not end the controversy.

"The parties which may not be favoured by the court order or the legislation may continue their agitation and keep the issue alive. Therefore, I am convinced that the third option could provide a lasting solution," he told Doordarshan in an interview and added he was hopeful that this will happen.

Advani said he was "particularly happy" that in the last six to eight months, many Muslim delegations came to meet him and after listening to their views he was hopeful that a mutually acceptable solution could be found.

Referring to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s prospects in the coming Assembly elections in five states, he said though he had not visited Mizoram, "the position is good" in the four other states. In Mizoram, the target was only to "open our account".

About BJP's poll prospects in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, he said the position had improved since the last two months and anti-incumbency factor was in BJP's favour.

On Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) parting ways with BJP in Uttar Pradesh, he said, "The political situation in Uttar Pradesh has no relevance in national politics. There will be no dent in our base."

PTI