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Vajpayee will contest next Lok Sabha poll: Thakre

Bharatiya Janata Party Kushabhau Thakre today announced that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will contest the next Lok Sabha election.

Asked to comment on Vajpayee's recent statement that he would contest if the party asked him to -- although earlier he had announced not to -- the BJP chief told the media that "we have persuaded him (Vajpayee) to contest the poll."

Asked if the BJP and its allies were deliberating with other parties in case All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham chief J Jayalalitha and her allies withdrew support from the Vajpayee government, Thakre replied in the negative. ''I don't think Ms Jayalalitha would withdraw support. She, should not have, however, levelled charges against the government publicly but have brought forth any complaints before the alliance's co-ordination committees."

UNI

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