Bangalore: Finding an "auspicious coincidence" between India's nuclear tests on May 13 in 1998 and the proposed counting of votes of the general elections on the same day this year, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh said today, "This is an advance announcement of things to come."

"It's an auspicious coincidence...advance announcement of things to come," Singh said, delivering a speech at a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-organised intellectuals' meet on "India on the Move" today (March 1, 2004).

Dwelling at length on the twin nuclear tests conducted on May 11 and 13 in 1998, Singh said the "journey started on May 13", and stressed that the "momentous event" has enhanced India's stature and prestige internationally.

Stating that National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has brought about "transformation" on the economic, international and internal fronts, he appealed to voters to ensure that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is sworn in for the fourth time, to provide continuity to many of the initiatives in those spheres.

He said many of the countries are now supporting India's bid for a permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), adding foreign Heads of State are now flocking to India and President A P J Abdul Kalam and Vajpayee are finding it difficult to accommodate the schedule to meet them.