Second coming?

There are indications that Najma Heptulla, now that she has been nominated by the BJP for the June 28 election to the Upper House, would exp...

There are indications that Najma Heptulla, now that she has been nominated by the BJP for the June 28 election to the Upper House, would explore the possibility of being re-elected Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. Congress circles, however, rule this out.

Though the arithmetic in the Rajya Sabha is expected to change in favour of the Opposition after the forthcoming polls, highly placed Congress sources say Heptulla8217;s re-election may not be possible. An understanding has been reached between the Congress and the BJP, they say, that the deputy chairperson8217;s post would go to the Congress or one of its allies, since the ruling alliance had agreed to leave the LS Deputy Speaker8217;s post for the NDA. 8216;8216;We hope that the NDA will honour this understanding and convention,8217;8217; a senior Congress leader said.

Heptulla, when contacted, would not go beyond saying: 8216;8216;I don8217;t know anything. All this is premature.8217;8217; Nothing had been firmed up, she added. The Congress expects to retain only 15 of the 65 seats. The key to what happens in the Rajya Sabha may also lie in the hands of players like Mulayam Singh Yadav and J. Jayalalithaa, who has delinked herself from the NDA. If the BJP decides to back Heptulla8217;s candidature, what these players decide to do in the Deputy Chairperson8217;s election could become crucial.

Heptulla, sources say, had hoped to contest as an independent from Madhya Pradesh, with BJP support. She was born, brought up and educated here though she was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra. But the BJP was clear that she would have to contest on the party ticket if she wanted its support.

It would have been easier for people like Mulayam to have supported her for Deputy Chairperson if she had been elected as an independent. But given the fast changing developments in Uttar Pradesh where the Congress has taken on Mulayam, it remains to be seen whether Mulayam is tempted to take a step which could be projected as 8216;8216;Sonia Gandhi8217;s defeat8217;8217;.

Open support to a BJP candidate could mean political suicide for him when the stakes have suddenly become very high for him. The Congress has been wooing Ajit Singh and if both withdraw support, Mulayam8217;s government could come down 8212; unless the BJP bails him out.

Heptulla was almost nominated to the Upper House six months ago but she just missed the Presidential nomination. She has been Rajya Sabha MP for four terms and Deputy Chairperson for 18 years. She burnt her boats with the Congress when she made asked the people to vote the NDA to power. Her relationship with Sonia Gandhi has been problematic from the start.

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In recent years, she has gravitated towards the BJP and has enjoyed a personal rapport with both A.B. Vajpayee and L.K. Advani. She was part of the inner circle of the two leaders and was invited to Advani8217;s birthday party last year where only family and close friends were present.

Najma would be taking a calculated risk in standing from Rajasthan because while the SC has vacated its stay on the election process, the election of candidates is subject to its decisions on the amendment in domicile requirement in the Representation of Peoples Act.