A united NDA fields Jaswant but Ansari sits pretty

L K Advani disclosed that while the BJP had tried to get NDA convenor and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav to contest,he had declined as he didn’t want to give up his active political career.

“Sharad Yadav’s name had come up in the public domain as a possible candidate for vice-president. Sushma Swaraj had talked to him day before yesterday and requested him to consider. But he said his nature does not permit as today he is engaged in active politics freely and this post will hamper it,” Advani,the NDA working chairman,revealed before announcing Jaswant’s name as the “unanimous” candidate of the NDA.

“All the constituents present in the NDA meeting today unanimously decided to oppose the Congress for the vice-president’s elections,” he said after the NDA meeting at his residence.

Yadav incidentally was learnt to have suggested the name of BJP leader Najma Heptullah,who contested unsuccessfully last time. However,BJP leaders pointed out that she had herself declined to contest this time.

Unlike the presidential election,where NDA constituents Shiv Sena and JD(U) are backing the UPA’s Pranab Mukherjee,the alliance today put up a united front on Jaswant Singh’s name while soliciting support from other parties. Advani indicated that apart from the BJD and AIADMK,the NDA may also reach out to UPA ally Trinamool Congress,that is still to make up its mind on Ansari.

“Obviously,we will solicit support from all those parties which are not committed to the other side ,” Advani said.

Jaswant Singh,who has been with the BJP since its inception except for a brief period when he was expelled over references to M A Jinnah in his book,described his candidature as an “honour” and said he was confident of taking on the “challenge”.

Given the way the numbers are stacked,it is a formidable challenge. Members of Parliament vote in the vice-presidential election,and of the 790,the winner needs to get 396 on his side. Singh currently claims formal committed support of only 214 — from the BJP (163),JD(U) (29),Shiv Sena (15) and Akali Dal (7). Ansari can hope to get 331 votes — from MPs of parties represented in the UPA government alone,including the Congress (278),DMK (25),NCP (16),RLD (5),National Conference (5) and Muslim League (2). And that’s excluding the Trinamool (28).

The UPA can also count on support of over 120 MPs,belonging to the Samajwadi Party (31),BSP (36),CPM (27),CPI (6),RJD (6),JD(S) (3),Forward Bloc (3),Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (1),AIMIM (1),All India United Democratic Front (1),Bodo People’s Front (2),Kerala Congress (2), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (1),and Sikkim Democratic Front (2). In addition,the UPA candidate is likely to get the support of the 10 nominated members.

While the CPI has not yet announced its support,sources said the party was actively considering backing Ansari.

That means Ansari may garner over 460 votes out of 790.

In contrast,the NDA will be soliciting support of two-other non-NDA parties — BJD (21) and AIADMK (14) — that can add at best 35 more votes to the kitty of Jaswant Singh. This will take his support to 249 MPs. The two parties are yet to formally announce their stance on the vice-presidential election.

Assuming all other non-committed MPs vote in favour of Jaswant Singh,the NDA candidate will still be over 50 votes less than the halfway mark of 396.

The BJP leader,however,put up a brave front. “I don’t reject the importance of numbers… (But) wait and watch… It is not simply a game of arithmetic,” Singh said. “Ummeed hai isisliye to ummeedwar hoon (I’m hopeful,that’s why I am an aspirant).”