New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Pramod Mahajan today (Dec 23, 2003) said the issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin would "definitely" be one of the issues in the Lok Sabha polls next year, but maintained the party may rake up 'hindutva' issues if Opposition parties talk of some kind of a "secular alliance" against it.

"It (Sonia's foreign origins) will be an issue and it will remain an issue," Mahajan told Karan Thapar's 'Court Martial' programme on SAB TV.

"If Sonia Gandhi ever becomes the Prime Minister of this country, the one billion people of this country will be creating history.

"Nowhere in the world has any foreigner come to a country and within two or three decades, without using a bullet or sword, with your own votes, started ruling you. It has never happened in world history. I am sure her nationality definitely will be one of the issues," he said.

On the Nehru-Gandhi family, Mahajan said the Congress was caught in a dilemma or a Catch-22 situation.

"They cannot leave the family and this family cannot deliver the goods. Nobody has realised that the last ever election won by somebody from Nehru-Gandhi family was by Rajiv Gandhi in 1984, that too after an (Indira Gandhi's) assassination. They have not won elections for last 20 years. Still Congress thinks they can win elections."

Asked about possible entry of Rajiv Gandhi's children, he said, "Those who are not in elections, why should I open my cards for them. Let them come and we will react."