Nasik: Accusing Congress of attacking "Hindu Asmita" (Hindu pride) to 'create vote bank among people belonging to a particular community', BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Sep 01, 2004) alleged that Veer Savarkar issue was also a part of the strategy.

Savarkar issue could be solved by tendering an apology for his remarks against Savarkar, BJP General Secretary and in-charge of Maharashtra party affairs, Pramod Mahajan told reporters at Ojhar, near Nasik.

He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi had so far not commented on the issue.

Referring to Hindu Mahasabha President Vikram Savarkar's criticism of former Union Minister Ram Naik for not raising the issue at Port Blair at a function on August 9, 2004, he said Naik came to know about the plaque removal after the function.

To a query Mahajan said that in recent Lok Sabha polls, BJP party had done well in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.

"We lost power at the Centre due to defeat in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," he claimed.

About coming Assembly polls in Maharashtra, he said the "poor work" and the "negative attitude" of the DF (Democratic Front) Government would ensure the victory of the Sena-BJP combine.

There were over 450 farmers committing suicide in the State, lack of proper Law and Order and 165 riots, besides the Government being burdened with loans, he said adding the issues would be raised during the polls.

If BJP would raise issues like Savarkar and Uma Bharti, he said, "We are not making these political" but since the issues were hot they would crop up.