NEW DELHI. Dec 31; Indias main opposition party kicks off its general election campaign on New Year s day with its two top stalwarts launching marathon crosscountry tours, reports AFP

The Hindu revivalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP. Indian People s Party) will be the first party to plunge into battle for the parliamentary pools widely expected In April

BJP president Lal Krishna Advani will begin a country wide 40 day tour from the southern state of Kerala on January I. while his veteran colleague At ala Behari Vaj

payee will hit the campaign trial the next day from Kashmir

Both will address nearly 100 public meetings as they criss-cross the country in the attempt to project the BJP as the front-runner in the polls which pundits believe will produce a hung parliament

"We are taking the initiative because we are confident of winning an absolute majority in parliament." BJP spokesman Krishan Lal Sharma said In an interview here We are preparing the nation for a change

BJP officials say the pro-

posed tours by Advani, a hardline Hindu nationalist, and Vajpayee, who is seen as a secular politician, will help prepare the party rank and file for the crucial hustings.

The BJP. one of India's best-organised parties, now rules the city of New Delhi and three of the country's 25 states and Is the main opposition force in five other states

Although Its image as a disciplined group has taken a beating in recent months because of unprecedented In fighting, the BJP poses the single biggest threat to Prime Minister P V Naraaimha Rao s

Congress (I) Party.

Barring two brief spells. , the Congress. India's oldest party, has ruled the country since Independence in 1947. The BJP. whose parliamen tary strength has soared In the past decade, is deter mined to unseat the Congress this time.

Tile country has suffered a lot In the last 50 years due to Congress," Sharma said. "India s potential has been lost. Rao's five years have been particularly bad

“The Congress has lost direction. has no ideology and was ceased to be one party

organisationally." he added "People are looking for a new alternative, a new change We will benefit from that desire despite our shortcomings

India 8 last parliamentary elections held in May June 1991 produced a hung [tar liament with the Congress leading the pack But Rao managed to mean away MPs from the opposition to give his party a majority In the House.

The 74 year old premier has defied the critics by warding oil challenges from within and outside the Congress to remain in the sa^ie for his full five-year

term which ends tn June

The Congress suffered a split In May but is confident of taking .on the BJP. The other secular opposition groups also have contempt for the BJP. saying It hoped to cover Its week spots with the New Year campaign.

"What the BJP is Indulging in its bombastic rhetoric." said Sriram Yechury. a Com munist leader. "The BJP is always dreaming of coming to power It won't happen."

"People are getting tired Of both Congress and BJP,"' he added. The New Year will see new tidings."