Saturday, January 29 2005 19:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Stung by the alleged petrol bomb attack on the chopper of its former president M Venkaiah Naidu, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Jan 29, 2005) urged the Election Commission (EC) to send additional Central forces to ensure free and impartial polls in the State.

Without naming either the naxalites or the ruling combine for being responsible for the attack, party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told sources in New Delhi, "There is an attempt to create terror in the State ahead of the Assembly elections. The law and order situation has touched its nadir."

The Election Commission, he said, should intervene in the matter and send more Central forces to the State to ensure that the people exercise their democratic right "freely and impartially".