Speculation about early polls got fresh life after the BJP's defeat in by-elections this year.
Amid speculation of an early general election, top sources in the BJP dispelled the possibility today, saying the party will stay in office for the whole of mandated five years. There has been a buzz for months that the NDA might opt to hold elections - due in the middle of next year - earlier, preferably by the end of the year.
"There is no question of early elections. We will not do give up political power one hour earlier than required, since people have given us a mandate for 5 years," a senior leader of the party told NDTV today.
The speculation, which has been around for more than year, got fresh life after the BJP's defeats in a string of by-elections this year.
Opposition parties like the Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party said they counted it as a distinct possibility.
Last month, senior Congress leader S Jaipal Reddy said the BJP was likely to lose Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. In that case, the general elections will be fast forwarded as Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not wish to face the electorate with a "handicapped image".
"In view of the bleak prospects for the BJP in the three states, Mr. Modi may prefer to advance the polls so that he does not have to go with a handicapped image. It is likely," Mr Reddy said, but hastened to add, "Who can say for sure in politics?"
In an interview to NDTV yesterday, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari referred to the issue again.
Talking of the No-Confidence motion against the government, Mr Tewari said it would be interesting to see how disgruntled BJP lawmakers like Shatrugan Sinha and Kirti Azad vote, "because essentially this is going to be for all practical purposes, perhaps the last session of parliament".