As Chautala frowns, BJP swallows Advani remark

Even if the allies don’t bite Chautala’s bait, the BJP can ill-afford such controversy ahead of polls. Party chief M. Venkaiah Naidu tried to play down Advani’s comment today, saying he had only talked of ‘‘the main options’’ before the voters: ‘‘Vote for whomsoever you want…There is no nation if there is no region.”

Union Minister and Janata Dal(U) parliamentary board chairman Sharad Yadav at least didn’t seem impressed by Chautala’s protests. ‘‘Whatever we have to say, we will say in the NDA. I think, what Advaniji said was in the context of Haryana. As for regional parties, we have them all over the country…they are there to stay.’’

While speaking at a public meeting on Wednesday, Advani said that forces outside the folds of the NDA and Congress-led alliance had lost their importance. ‘‘If you do not like the BJP, you may vote for the Congress or its supporting parties, as others have no importance. Voting for any third party is like wasting your vote.’’

A marginal player in Haryana politics that has never clicked in the countryside, the BJP has always played second fiddle to partners like the INLD’s Devi Lal or Chautala and the Haryana Vikas Party’s (HVP) Bansi Lal. Over the course of its four-year alliance with Chautala, the party had been pushed to the margins.

However, Chautala issued a strong rejoinder today expressing ‘‘displeasure’’ over ‘‘such an irresponsible statement by the Deputy Prime Minister’’. He went on to say: ‘‘It is not appropriate for a leader of Advani’s stature to make this remark… The remaining allies should take strong note and issue their reaction immediately.’’

Playing on the perceived Advani-Vajpayee divide, Chautala also wondered ‘‘if Prime Minister Vajpayee agreed with this statement of Advani’’. In case Vajpayee did, he added, ‘‘it would mean that the BJP could join hands with the Congress to remain in power’’.