Tirupati: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today (Jan 2, 2004) said the Centre was considering advancing the Lok Sabha polls and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convenor George Fernandes was holding consultations with coalition partners in this regard.

"The Vajpayee Government has been considering the probability of having elections earlier," Advani, who arrived in Tirupati on a two-day pilgrimage, told reporters at the Renigunta airport.

He said Fernandes is presently consulting NDA partners about the "desire for holding elections in advance".

Advani said Fernandes has been meeting leaders of the NDA partners individually over the issue, "even though the term of the Lok Sabha ends in September next only".

He said he had recently met Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who also favoured early polls.

Immediately after the return of the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee from the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) Summit, the NDA was going to hold a joint meeting followed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s national executive meeting.

"By that time the issue will be clear", he said.

Advani declined to comment on All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi's plan to forge electoral alliance with like-minded parties to oppose the BJP.

Evading a direct reply to a question on BJP-AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) alliance, he said yesterday he had spoken to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to extend his New Year greetings and "she too responded to it".

Impressed by the manner in which Vajpayee Government had performed during the last five years, the electorate "is all set to give another mandate to Vajpayee Government", he said.