NEW DELHI, March 9: Bhartiya Janata Party’s prime minister-in-waiting Atal Behari Vajpayee and BJP president L K Advani succeeded in extracting a concession from AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha that she would review her stand on staying out of the Cabinet. The BJP is also hoping to similarly persuade Mamata Banerjee, who arrived here tonight.Jayalalitha met Vajpayee and Advani today and also attended the meeting to discuss the national agenda. She told journalists later : ‘‘We are not giving outside support, it is very much inside support. We have only decided to stay out of the Cabinet for the time being.’’ In reply to a question, she said, ‘‘For the time being we don’t want ministerial posts. But it is open for review.’’Sources said that the BJP is trying to rope in Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference (a constituent of the United Front), which is expected to win two seats in Kashmir. The effort is to persuade him to abstain from voting against the BJP in the vote of confidence like Chandrababu Naiduof the TDP.The numbers scene is also improving, with the widening cracks in the UF working in the BJP’s favour. Taking the BJP closer to its target of 272, a forum of north-eastern parties with five MPs in the new Lok Sabha announced its decision to extend issue-based support to the BJP. Asom Gana Parishad chief Prafulla Kumar Mahanta (another member of the UF), who had a secret meeting with Advani two days ago, is president of the forum.Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang, who has played a key role in bringing the parties together, claimed that the forum also has the support of three more MPs from Assam, belonging to the United Muslim Front, Autonomous State Demand Committee, and an Independent supported by the Bodo groups.Getting Farooq’s tacit support would be a major tactical gain for the BJP not only because the NC is part of the United Front but also in terms of sending a signal to minorities. Article 370 is not expected to be a problem since it will not be included in the nationalagenda.The BJP front’s national agenda is to be finalised and approved by all allies on March 14 but would be released with the swearing-in of the government, according to Samata Party leader George Fernandes. The document would be very crisp and precise in terms of the thrust with a specific stance on economic policy, he said. ‘‘There will be no room for any re-interpretation.’’Briefing media persons after the meeting, BJP leader Jaswant Singh who is convenor of the drafting committee, said that no contentious issues were discussed - indicating that Ayodhya, Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code would not be included in the national agenda.Meanwhile, the BJP has called a meeting of its National Executive here on March 21 and 22 to review the elections.The party’s organisational polls, which were postponed due to the general elections, will also be discussed. Advani’s term as party president has expired and a new president is scheduled to be elected.
