New Delhi: With NDA putting its stamp of approval on L K Advani's candidacy as Prime Minister, the BJP is expected to decide the nitty-gritty of the strategy ahead at its three-day National Executive and Council meet beginning here tomorrow.

Buoyed by the victories in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the saffron party does not want to leave anything to chance in the Assembly elections in Karnataka where the Congress is readying for a determined battle.

The meet assumes significance as it is likely to spell out the programme of a possible cross-country tour by Advani to highlight the failures of the Congress-led government on issues like internal security, agriculture and price rise as part of a major campaign.

Incidentally, it will be the first meet of the party when top leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee is expected to take a backseat and there is speculation about the return of former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat to active politics.

The meeting of the Executive and the Council is expected to give an opportunity to the leadership to deliberate in detail for the battle of the ballot in Bangalooru as also taking stock of the situation in party-ruled states where polls are scheduled this year.

Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh are the BJP-ruled states were Assembly polls are scheduled by the year end. The main opposition is also banking heavily on Congress-ruled Delhi, where elections are due simultaneously.

The BJP is upbeat about Delhi against the backdrop of municipal elections last year in which it wrested the civic body from Congress.

The BJP is upbeat about Delhi against the backdrop of municipal elections last year in which it wrested the civic body from Congress.

Source : PTI