BJP tries to woo back allies

Anxious to revive its fortunes after a dismal performance in the Uttar Pradesh polls, the BJP has started to reach out to its former NDA allies to make a serious bid to come to power...

Anxious to revive its fortunes after a dismal performance in the Uttar Pradesh polls, the BJP has started to reach out to its former NDA allies to make a serious bid to come to power at the Centre in the next general election.

Among those the party will be “tapping” in the initial stages are the AIADMK and TDP. The fact that both the parties are exploring third front possibilities, along with the Samajwadi Party, INLD and the AGP, have not inhibited the BJP in its efforts.

According to a senior party leader, such parties are unlikely to benefit from an alliance among themselves. “How will it benefit the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh if it has an alliance with the AIADMK or the TDP, and vice versa? These are regional groups and are not in a position to help others. That is where we come in,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

The BJP is moving on the assumption that in the era of coalition politics, it is necessary for smaller parties to gravitate towards one of the two poles — the Congress or the BJP. The plan is to seek “realignment” with former NDA forces while adding new friends.

The possibilities are said to be diverse at the moment. Parties like the Lok Janshakti Party, AIADMK, DMK, TDP, Indian Federal Democratic Party, MDMK and National Conference are likely to be approached. A top party leader said Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi are expected to play a major role in this effort.

Discussions within the party pointed to the fact that ties with the present allies, like the JD(U), Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJD were reinforced mainly because the BJP shares power with them in states — the JD(U) in Bihar, the SAD in Punjab and BJD in Orissa. However, after the strong words between the BJP and the SAD over the Dera Sacha Sauda issue, there is a possibility of strained relations.

With Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the prime minister, the NDA was a 23-party coalition. Today, the constituents are restricted to the JD(U), SAD, BJD, Shiv Sena and the Trinamool Congress.

Story continues below this ad

But there is always a question mark over the Trinamool Congress. There were chances that it would leave the NDA fold, after party leader Mamata Banerjee went on a hunger strike over the acquisition of land in Singur in early December 2006 and was in touch with the Congress leadership. A quick meeting with BJP President Rajnath Singh, who went to Kolkata to meet her, helped avoid such a situation.

Such an effort is likely to be put to test late next year in polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Mizoram.

“Recent polls have shown that the public mood is for change. They want a strong alternative to existing governments. In this, regional parties have become important,” said a senior BJP leader.