BJP now wants bigger piece of govt pie

Apart from demanding control of several urban authorities,the BJP is also seeking certain departments concerned with the rural constituency,which is considered the traditional vote bank of the Akalis.

It is learnt,however,that the Akali leadership,led by the CM,was reluctant to even discuss any such demand on the assertion that the distribution of portfolios was settled when the government was formed. But buoyed by the ‘victory’ on the issue of rollback of tariff hike,BJP leaders are hoping that the issue of additional portfolios,put off for now,will be addressed “at the appropriate time”. The BJP has 19 members in the present House.

During the meeting,BJP leaders also raised the demand for creating another post of the Deputy Chief Minister,which was rejected by the SAD leadership. A senior SAD leader said,“The BJP raised the demand for additional portfolios. The CM did not give much importance to it. But the BJP seems to have made up its mind and will work towards it. This could land the SAD in a piquant situation.”

Meanwhile,inherent in Thursday’s decision to allow more subsidy to steer clear of any power tariff hike is an inevitable crisis,said a senior leader. Now that the precedent to allow additional subsidy has been set,it will be hard to discontinue the subsidy after a year,as “mutually” agreed to by the SAD and BJP.

The new tariff order by the power regulator will be effective from April 1 this year,and with less than two years left for the Assembly elections,the BJP,having lost ground in the last three years,will be unwilling to gamble on any option to withdraw subsidy,said sources. A senior BJP leader said,“The party has managed to have its way on the issue. Whether or not this format will continue is something which the party will see when the new order comes into effect.”

A senior leader said the BJP’s intention to prolong the one-year commitment on tariff hike rollback will also depend on the seriousness with which the Akali leadership puts into practice its plans on subsidy withdrawal for the farm sector.