Vajpayee urges new beginning in Gujarat

"We must take all along, including those who opposed us in the polls," Vajpayee told BJP MLAs in Gujarat.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee called on Tuesday for a new beginning in Gujarat where his party BJP swept to power last week.

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"There should be a new beginning, we have got our government, we have got a two-thirds majority," he told a meeting of BJP MLAs marking the party's first big state win since Vajpayee came to power at the head of a coalition three years ago.

"We must take everyone along, including those who opposed us in the elections," Vajpayee said.

Vajpayee questioned those who said his party would replicate its Hindutva tactics in future elections including the general elections in 2004, and in turn accused the main opposition party, Congress, of running a slander campaign.

"It's being said we will adopt the same formula, what's the meaning of this?" he said. "The people of Gujarat have endorsed the good work done by our government. The verdict is an answer to the negative campaign of the Congress Party."

Congress leaders had accused the BJP of stoking Hindu-Muslim tensions in the state.

Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani said the NDA coalition would not stray from a common agenda of governance, which excludes all contentious issues, despite the BJP's huge victory in Gujarat.

"There is no need to be apologetic about the BJP ideology, but we will run the government on the National Democratic Alliance agenda, this is what we agreed on," Advani said.