BJP dilly-dallies on alliance

Ahead of the crucial state executive meet of the BJP at Sonepat tomorrow, where vice-president Venkaiyah Naidu will be present...

The final decision will be taken by the High Command

Ahead of the crucial state executive meet of the BJP at Sonepat tomorrow, where vice-president Venkaiyah Naidu will be present, the party remains divided on the issue of alliance with another party for the next Lok Sabha polls. While one section of the party leaders favour an alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal INLD, another section is against it.

Another section is also advocating an alliance with the newly formed Haryana Janhit Congress HJC of Kuldeep Bishnoi, but it has faced opposition too. Yet another section of the party feels the BJP should go alone.

In the light of the drubbing the party received in the three by-elections at Adampur, Gohana and Indri, there is little chance of the party facing the next Lok Sabha all on its own. There are indications that the party could have an alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal INLD, but no announcement in this regard has been made so far by the party High Command.

The BJP leaders are averse to any alliance with the INLD because of the bitter experience of 2000, when they had tied up with them. The alliance partners did come to power, but soon fell apart and spent the rest of the term abusing each other. Since then, many of the BJP leaders have been against any alliance with the INLD.

In the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the two parties fought on their own. While BJP managed to win one seat in the Lok Sabha, INLD drew a blank. In the Assembly elections, INLD managed to win nine seats, while BJP had to be content with just two seats, four less than their previous term.

According to sources, some of the seniors in the party, including I.D. Swami, Rattanlal Kataria, Krishan Pal Gurjar, Sudha Yadav and Capt Abhimanyu are in favour of an alliance with the INLD.

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On the other hand, Ram Bilas Sharma and BJP state president Atam Prakash Manchanada seem to be in favour of an alliance with the HJC. A senior BJP leader said, 8220;We had a bad experience with Om Prakash Chautala and his party, which ditched the BJP, but it still makes sense to tie-up with it.8221;

8220;It is a choice between the devil and the deep sea,8217;8217; said another BJP leader. 8220;Kuldeep Bishnoi is aiming to become the chief minister of the state. He may forget about his newly formed party and any alliance,8217;8217; he added.

Talking to The Indian Express, Harjit Singh Grewal, BJP vice president, said the issue of alliance will be decided only by the party High Command. It may come up for discussion at the party meeting in Sonepat tomorrow.