The Haryana unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has ruled out alliances with any political party for the forthcoming state assembly elections and said it would be preparing a panel of candidates to fight the polls.
The BJP's central leadership had already decided against any electoral tie-ups, but the party will be open to support from regional "pressure groups", state BJP seneral secretary Bharat Bhushan Bharti told reporters here.
"The BJP election committee of the state unit will meet in Rohtak on December 31 and a panel of candidates will be forwarded to the party's central parliamentary board, which will be meeting in Delhi on January 4. The first list of candidates to will be announced after that," Bharti said.
He said the party had gained in vote share in the last Lok Sabha elections and claimed "now there is a straight contest between Congress and the BJP".
Bharti said the party will release its election manifesto after December 31 and added good governance and development will be its main poll plank.
Claiming that institutions like Haryana Public Service Commission and state universities have lost credibility under the Om Prakash Chautala government, he said their prestige would be restored if BJP came to power.
Asked what would be the criteria for ticket distribution, Bharti said winnability, a clean image and the person's firm belief in policies and programmes of the BJP would be the key factors.
He also said that the party had 12 women candidates who could win seats and they would be given due representation.
BJP president L K Advani has drawn up an extensive programme to tour the state and would be addressing gatherings in Panipat on January 2 and Kuruksehtra on January 8 among other rallies.
Former prime minister Vajpayee, BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Pramod Mahajan, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Madan Lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma, Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar will also be touring the state in January.
More from rediff