Lucknow: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (Feb 23, 2004) dismissed suggestions that there was no "feel good factor" in Uttar Pradesh and expressed confidence that BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) would be able to achieve its "target" of winning 60 seats despite "complicated politics" in the crucial States.

"I don't think that there is no feel good factor in UP (Uttar Pradesh) but the politics here is complicated, we will be able to achieve our target," Vajpayee said in reply to a question whether the BJP would reach its target of winning 60 seats in view of differences in the State unit.

Downplaying differences within the UP BJP, the Prime Minister said that the policy of taking along everybody would succeed. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who recently returned to the party's fold, was sitting next to Vajpayee.

The Prime Minister said that the BJP had been in power in UP and is currently leading a coalition at the Centre. "In such a situation, differences are bound to crop up. These are sorted out internally. Our policy of taking along everyone will succeed and I am confident that we will be able to achieve our target."

Addressing a press conference at the end of two-day visit to his Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency, the Prime Minister said that Uttar Pradesh faced different kinds of problems including the one related to the electoral scenario which differed from other States where there would be straight contests.

He said in such a scenario, "voters will have to exercise their franchise after a lot of thought".

Vajpayee declared that the BJP would go to the people seeking a renewed mandate in the coming polls on the basis of NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government's achievements during the past five years.

Election dates for the coming Lok Sabha polls are to be announced, Vajpayee said adding it would be perhaps for the first time that the polls were being held "in a tension-free atmosphere" which would allow people to cast their votes in a free and fair manner.

Vajpayee said that it was the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure a peaceful polling so that the people could exercise their franchise in a proper manner.

"I am confident that the coming elections would be conducted in a very cordial atmosphere," the Prime Minister said, remarking that the democracy did not mean only electoral politics alone but also had economic and social aspects.