US Republicans meet Advani, seek views on early LS polls

A US Republican Party delegation called on senior BJP leader LK Advani and sought to know the possibility of early Lok Sabha elections. Advani, while not ruling out the possibility, hinted at the UPA-2 “tottering” up to 2014 to complete its term in office like a “terminally ill patient, managing to survive till the last,” BJP sources said.

A US Republican Party delegation called on senior BJP leader LK Advani and sought to know the possibility of early Lok Sabha elections. Advani, while not ruling out the possibility, hinted at the UPA-2 “tottering” up to 2014 to complete its term in office like a “terminally ill patient, managing to survive till the last,” BJP sources said.

The Republicans, led by international institute president Lorne W Craner and former US under secretary of state for democracy Constance B Newman, called on the BJP leader on Sunday, on an invitation from the BJP.

Earlier, the delegation had called on Arun Jaitley and Yashwant Sinha, and discussed on India’s economy, situation in Af-Pak border, domestic politics and presidential election in the US.

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The delegation also had interactions with young MPs led by yuva morcha chief Anurag Thakur and former IB chief Ajit Doval. On January 13, they had called on Gujarat CM Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar. The US had denied visa to Modi due to 2002 riots. But, Craner told HT that “The issue did not come up during our discussion.”

Vani Tripathi, BJP secretary, who coordinated the visit, said the BJP and the Republican Party established contacts when a seven member BJP delegation visited the US in June last year.