Can’t trust the Janata Dal so soon, says BJP

NEW DELHI, July 21: The BJP wanted the Janata Dal to finally disintegrate in Bihar, Orissa and Karnataka so that it could pick from the D...

NEW DELHI, July 21: The BJP wanted the Janata Dal to finally disintegrate in Bihar, Orissa and Karnataka so that it could pick from the Dal’s ruins. But the unity move by the BJP’s allies, Lok Shakti and Samata Party, with Janata Dal, has taken the party leadership by surprise.

Realising that they now have to contend with a socialist grouping with greater bargaining power, the BJP leaders want to discuss the issue at their Parliamentary Affairs Committee and Election Committee meetings before formally inducting the Sharad Yadav-led JD into the National Democratic Alliance.

BJP leaders are perturbed over the developments. “We wanted only individuals from JD in the three States to strengthen our party besides rendering the JD ineffective, but are now confronted with a resurgent Dal” admitted a senior BJP leader. But they also realise that there’s little they could do about it except try to counter the enhanced clout of the new front within the NDA. “We are watching JD developments cautiously because itthe same party which had actively “discredited” JD. Moreover, the BJP thinks it can form a government on its own with the help of the Lok Shakti in the state which will also have simultaneous Assembly elections. In Bihar though, the JD will help the mobilisation of the anti-Laloo Prasad Yadav vote in the BJP’s favour.

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But Fernandes and Hegde sought to allay the BJP’s fears, asserting that the coming together of the three parties was only to the advantage of the NDA. “The NDA will be further strengthened. If someone were to say that the NDA or any of its parties would be harmed he is wrong,” Hegde said. The prime objective behind the move was to strengthen the NDA and prevent a foreign-born person from becoming the prime minister, he added.

But Sharad Yadav who spoke before Hegde sought to give the impression that the three parties had actually merged. He also exuded confidence about the JD managing to retain the “wheel” symbol for itself.

A couple of hours after Sharad Yadav, Hegde and Fernandesannounced the unification of the Janata Parivar and the resolve of the Janata Dal to become part of the NDA, the rival group declared that it had elected Gowda as its president. Initially the name of former president S R Bommai was proposed for the post but he declined the offer on grounds of health. Bommai himself later proposed Gowda’s name with Madhu Dandavate seconding it.

The Gowda faction contended that the JD’s political affairs committee was indeed a constitutional body contrary to the claim of the Sharad Yadav group that it was only a nominated body. The latter faction was outnumbered by those opposing the JD’s becoming a part of the NDA at the PAC.

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Its leaders clarified that in the original party constitution, the PAC did not find mention. But an amendment was carried out in 1994 to authorise the PAC to take decisions on political, economic and social matters on behalf of the national executive.

Asked why Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel was not expelled like Sharad Yadav, they said actionagainst everybody who had defied the majority view in the PAC would be initiated. “It is left to the state JD legislature party to take a decision,” Gowda said. “Patel may be thrown out,” said Bommai.

The development has also put a question mark on the continuation of the Patel government in Karnataka where Deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah has cast his lot with the Gowda faction.