Both in Gujarat and Punjab, the BJP appears to be ahead of its political rivals ...

The Congress, however, is clearly ahead of other  parties in terms of poll preparedness ... Despite being out of power for more than a year now, the BJP continues to exude confidence to take on the Congress. The scenario could change if the Congress forged an alliance with RJP.  Although no formal decision has been taken so far, theCongress and the RJP appear to be keen to forge an alliance ...

All is not well with the BJP. There is a sharp division  within the party, with the hard-core members of the Sangh Parivar insisting that the leaders who had wavered at the time of the split effected by Vaghela be denied party nomination. According to them, the leaders having remote links with the RJP leader should not be accommodated. But others in the party argue that those who had resisted the temptation ought to be rewarded with the party ticket.