PM reviews BJP's electoral prospects in Assam, Bengal

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH. 7. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, today reviewed the Bharatiya Janata Party's poll prospects in Assam and West Bengal. Party leaders from the two States, central leaders and those in- charge of political affairs in these States were also present.

Earlier in the day, teams of State leaders met the central leadership at the party headquarters. The importance being attached to the Assam election can be gauged from the fact that Mr. Advani and the Human Resource development Minister, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, also attended the meeting at the party office. A five-member ministerial group comprising Mr. Pramod Mahajan, Mr. Juel Oram, Mr. Ram Naik, Mr. Satyanarain Jatiya, Mr. Bijoy Chakravarty and Mr. Shahnawaz Husain, has been set up to oversee the Assam election.

The BJP had not yet made up its mind about exploring the possibility of an alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad, leaders indicated, adding the party would go ahead with forging tie-ups with smaller groups. There are two views in the BJP on the Assam strategy - one, the party should go it alone and focus on increasing its own strength, and two, it should explore a tie- up with the AGP to make sure the Congress does not come back to power.

However, the possible tie-up with the AGP does not depend on the BJP alone, for, the AGP executive committee recently decided against such an alliance. The BJP itself was first disinclined against a tie-up when in fact the AGP appeared keen. The party's argument was that the AGP was unpopular, the anti-incumbency factor in the State was strong, and an alliance with the AGP would be suicidal. It was felt that the Karnataka scenario, where the BJP allied with an unpopular Janata Dal and lost, would be repeated in Assam.

During a recent visit to Assam, Mr. Advani sent out a positive signal to the AGP when he gave a good conduct certificate to the Chief Minister. The BJP cadres were also asked not to criticise the AGP publicly, a pointer that an alliance may be in the offing. But with no clear `yes' signal, the AGP announced that it was not interested in an alliance. But that stance is not being taken at its face value by the BJP.

Joint manifesto

In West Bengal, the BJP has apparently been offered 39 seats, but it is not happy with the constituencies offered. Some senior leaders indicated that the differences related to some 7 or 8 seats and these would be sorted out amicably.

Unlike in Tamil Nadu, the BJP has decided - and so has the Trinamool Congress, its alliance partner here, - to have a joint election manifesto for the state election. However, some party leaders here made it clear the party would not allow the demand for a separate Kamtapur to be included in the manifesto. The apprehension is that since the Trinamool has tied up with a small party based on this demand, that group may insist on this. In Bengal, the BJP is certainly looking for a joint campaign with its partner whom it recognises to be in the lead role.

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Section  : National
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