Even though the first phase of the present Lok Sabha polls was over on Sunday, the BJP or the National Democratic alliance led by it has failed to exude any confidence in getting a majority of seats he combination partners contested. Notwithstanding the favourable reports the country's major English newspapers printed in favour of the BJP on he overall outcome of he polls, the BJP leaders, in private expressed scepticism about the vote behaviour even after the conclusion of the 1st phase of poll. The Kargil conflict, did not provide any political mileage to the BJP as the opposition campaign against the caretaker Vajpayee government of deliberately suppressing the threat posed by the external enemy, caught on with the electorate. The BJP leadership feels that a section of the electorate definitely was of the view that despite being repeatedly informed by the intelligence wings about the Pak army personnel intruding into Indian territory across the Line of Control in huge numbers the government though it wise to sleep over the intelligence reports. The damage could not be repaired. The BJP had little to brag about its achievement except for Kargil. In spite of a good indigenous production of sugar, the import of Rs. 900 crores worth of sugar from Pakistan at a time when India knew that Pakistan was creating a war like situation in Kashmir has shown the so-called able Prime Minister of the BJP, Mr. Vajpayee in a poor light. Even a section of the major english newspapers is describing the deal as a 'Sugargate' likening to the former U.S. President Mr. Nixon's Watergate scandal.

Only less than a week before the polls, the IB said that the Congress has improved its position though the party is fare from being ship-shape in many states. On the other hand the NDA has lost some ground in the north, particularly in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The IB report suggested that the gap between the NDA and the Congress and its allies have been reduced. Its assessment is that the NDA could garner 280 odd seats against the Congress's 240 odd seats. IB has duly fed the Prime Minister's office. The IB has close channels in the states. The IB reports said that like Kargil, the Pokran nuclear blasts and the foreign origin of the Congress President Mrs Sonia Gandhi harped repeatedly on by the NDA stalwarts have failed to create any tangible impact on the electorate. On the other had the personal attacks on Mrs. Sonia Gandhi appear to boomerang on the BJP or the NDA. An earlier assessment conducted by the IB during the nomination stage had given the NDA 300-odd seats. Prior to the announcement of the election schedule the BJP and its allies were given 250 to 260 seats against 200-odd seats to the Congress and its allies.