'BJP will lay the foundation of LS election win from UP'

Bharatiya Janata Party would lay the foundation of next National Democratic Alliance government at the centre by performing better in Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, said Amit Shah, as he on Wednesday took over as party's in-charge in the state.

"I have come to UP for the first time but I want to say that the solid foundation of the next NDA government under the leadership of BJP in 2014 would be laid from UP," Shah who arrived in Lucknow to a rousing reception by party workers and leaders said in his brief interaction with the media.

The BJP had managed to win 47 seats in last year's assembly polls and in the 2009 Lok Sabha election it had won 10 of the 80 seats.

On a two-day visit here, Shah will meet party office bearers on Wednesday afternoon followed by an interaction with senior state leaders including Lalji Tandon, Kalraj Misra, Om Prakash Singh among others, party sources said.

The BJP general secretary will also take part in a legislature party meeting on Thursday, they said.

Shah is a close confidante of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was appointed as chairman of BJP's national campaign committee on June 9.

Previously, Shah was the minister of state for home in Gujarat. He has faced allegations of involvement in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case.

Shah faces the challenge of dealing with factionalism in the party state unit and prepare it for the 2014 parliamentary elections.