Hyderabad: Apparently keen on keeping the Opposition camp on tenterhooks, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Jan 5, 2004) said there was a "fifty-fifty" chance of early Lok Sabha elections and a final decision would be taken by NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government after ascertaining the views of alliance partners.

"On behalf of my party, I cannot say in definite terms that Lok Sabha elections will be advanced. There is a fifty-fifty chance. So far, the matter has not been discussed with our allies," BJP general secretary and spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters.

Naqvi, who in Hyderabad to review arrangements for the party's national executive meeting slated for Jan 11-12, said the meeting would discuss the issue and take feedback from the State units.

Terming the forthcoming meeting as "very important" for the party's "Mission 2004", aimed at securing 300 seats for BJP and a two-third majority for NDA, he said over 200 party leaders, including Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, party president M Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States and presidents of State units, would participate in the deliberations.

The meeting would give a final shape to an action plan for achieving Mission 2004 and gear up the party cadre in the run-up to elections.

Not willing to reveal all the cards on the party's strategy on early polls option, Naqvi said, "Wait and see."

Asked to elaborate on his "fifty-fifty" formulation, the BJP leader said, "Fifty per cent is the decision by BJP and allies and the remaining 50 per cent is the decision by Government."