Partyline — BJP to back Orissa JD rebels

NEW DELHI, December 5: Bharatiya Janata Party would consider ``sympathetically'' any move of the splinter group of Janata Dal in Orissa to ...

NEW DELHI, December 5: Bharatiya Janata Party would consider “sympathetically” any move of the splinter group of Janata Dal in Orissa to join its fold. “We don’t want any alliance with the official Janata Dal. It is totally ruled out. But, if a part of the Janata Dal wants to join us, we can consider it sympathetically”, BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan said.

Cong ready

BANGALORE: Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said the Congress was ready to face the mid-term elections to the Lok Sabha. On Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel’s remark that Congress had no base, he said Patel had forgotten the outcome of the recent byelections and the Congress performance in various elections.

BJP call

JAISALMER: Bharatiya Janata Party would welcome anyone in its fold including Congressmen but tickets for contesting coming Lok Sabha poll will be decided on merit of candidates, senior party leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said. The Rajasthan Chief Minister said although BJP did not want mid-term poll now it would certainly benefit from the situation claiming Congressmen “are tired” of their party leader. “A split in Congress is imminent,” Shekhawat said.

TDP moves

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HYDERABAD: Gearing up for the ensuing elections, the Telugu Desam, a key constituent of the United Front, has chalked out a detailed preparatory programme including training camps for party leaders at village level and a series of interactive meetings to assess the pre-poll situation. Chief Minister and party president N Chandrababu Naidu would hold daily meetings with district-level leaders from December 8 to assess party’s “strengths and weaknesses” in various constituencies.

Strategy change

RAIPUR: Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shyama Charan Shukla today said that it would be better for the party to fight elections on a well-planned strategy instead of harping on charismatic leadership. Speaking to media persons here, Shukla said that all parties including the Congress should be blamed for the present political crisis in the country. Replying to a question, he said that all secular forces should work for strengthening the Congress. Shukla said instead of wasting time and money on costly campaigns, candidates should have a debate on television. Shukla said that he would not contest the Raipur Lok Sabha seat but added that his younger brother, Vidya Charan Shukla might do so if he gets the ticket from the party high command.

Swamy’s view

CHENNAI: JANATA Party president Subramaniam Swamy on Friday predicted a hung Parliament after the mid-term elections to the Lok Sabha, but was optimistic that a secular progressive democratic front would be able to form the government at the Centre. He said the front would comprise mainly the old Janata Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP) and Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party. The AIADMK, Janata Party and Marumalarchi DMK combine in Tamil Nadu would play a significant role in the constitution of the front, he claimed.