BJP to push for bigger share in power pie, SAD permitting

While the BJP is hoping to enlarge its profile in Punjab post-elections, it may not press for it at the expense of its long-standing ties with Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal.

While the BJP is hoping to enlarge its profile in Punjab post-elections, it may not press for it at the expense of its long-standing ties with Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal.

Former party president Venkaiah Naidu and general secretaries Arun Jaitley who is in-charge of the state and Thavar Chand Gehlot would be in Chandigarh tomorrow to oversee the election of the legislature party leader. Sources said that while Naidu and Jaitley would put forth their demands, including posts of deputy chief minister and deputy speaker, they might stop short if met with objection.

According to sources in the Akali Dal, they are not likely to get a warm reception. 8220;We do not want twin centres of authority,8221; they said.

Even the BJP admits in private that the going will be tough. Asked about it, Jaitley was non-committal. 8220;We would first speak to our MLAs,8221; was all he said.

The BJP also faces another problem: it has no leader with the stature to hold the post of deputy chief minister. The two leaders who could come anywhere close to it 8212;- Balram Dass Tandon and Madan Mohan Mittal 8212;- are out of reckoning. Tandon was denied a ticket and Mittal lost the election from Nangal. However, deputy speakership poses no difficulty. The BJP had readily parted with deputy speakership of Lok Sabha to Charanjit Singh Atawal of the Akali Dal. Nor is any problem anticipated over ministerial berths and portfolios.

But far beyond the posts and portfolios, it is the dynamics of the Akali-BJP relationship that is set for a change. While the Akalis have been dependent on Jana Sangh-BJP for survival for long, this is the first time when the BJP gains are disproportionately higher than those of the Akalis.

Given the BJP sweep from Chandigarh to Amritsar, the party would want Badal to send an unambiguous signal to Hindu voters that they have a stake in his government.

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Badal, given his stature, has been used to dealing with Atal Behari Vajpayee and L K Advani, but henceforth, he would have to do business with Manmohan Kalias, Satipal Gosains and Luxmikanta Chawlas in Chandigarh too. Not a mean achievement for them at the end of the day.