LK Advani favours US-style debate in India

PITHORAGARH: Senior BJP leader LK Advani on Friday said he favoured US-style public debate between main competing candidates for the post of Prime Minister in India.

"Instead of rallies by different political parties, the Election Commission should organise discussions between main contenders for the post of Prime Minister in particular election," Advani said while addressing an election rally here in favour of BJP's Almora LS candidate Ajay Tamta.

The veteran BJP leader said, "had this system adopted in the country right after the first general elections, the Indian democracy would have strengthened."

He counted construction of golden quadrilateral and creation of three states of Uttarakhand, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand as achievements of NDA government under the leadership of former prime minister Atal Bijari Vajpayee.

Advani said the NDA's vision of solving water crisis by interlinking the rivers could not be followed up by successive UPA governments.