Poll market unites ‘socialists’

Though the Yadav-led Janata Dal, Lok Shakti and Samata Party decided to “unite,” Lok Shakti chief Ramakrishna Hegde categorically made it clear that the three parties were not merging into one entity. “This is not an outright merger,” he said, adding that for a merger to take place there were certain procedures which could not be followed for lack of time.

“But we have agreed to fight the elections together and if possible under one symbol,” he said.

Samata leader Nitish Kumar also emphasised that the three parties would formally merge only after theLok Sabha elections. The parties would fight the elections on their respective party symbols but in co-operation with each other, he said.

The development has added an altogether new dimension to the existing political situation one-and-a-half months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP is extremely wary of the formation of the “front within the front” and suspects that Samata Party chief George Fernandes and Hegde were trying to increase their bargaining power vis-a-vis the BJP.

While the BJP welcomes the help of someone like Ram Vilas Paswan in Bihar, it has been extremely unhappy with the prospect of having to tie up with a “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.

But Fernandes and Hegde sought to allay the BJP’s fears, asserting that the comingtogether 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 Fernandes announced 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 factioncontended 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.

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 action against 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 Gowdafaction.