BJP-AGP may forge alliance

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI, APRIL 1. The possibility of an electoral tie-up between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Asom Gana Parishad has opened up once again. However, the matter is not expected to be clinched before April 3.

Although the BJP had announced at its recent national executive committee meeting that it would contest the Assam Assembly elections on its own (tying up with only some marginal forces), and the AGP had also rejected the idea of a seat sharing arrangement with the BJP, it seems that the BJP has now received a proposal from the AGP suggesting some arrangement.

Discussions have begun within the two parties to sort out internal problems before going on to hold formal seat sharing talks. The BJP's Assam leaders, led by the State unit president, Mr. Rajen Gohai, are here and they have met party general secretaries. Meetings with the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, are possible, senior BJP leaders said today.

The AGP is holding its state executive committee meeting in Guwahati today and its national council is scheduled to meet tomorrow.

Mr. Sunil Shastri, BJP general secretary, confirmed that the AGP leaders were expected to come here on April 3 to probe the possibility of an alliance.

It is not a secret that the BJP's State unit was earlier dead set against an electoral pact with the AGP, which was considered to be a liability with a strong anti-incumbency factor working against it. But it seems that the BJP's central leadership wants to ensure that the Congress does not get the advantage in a three-way fight, and hence the re-thinking on the alliance with the AGP.

Post Tehelka, the BJP feels that if the Congress were to capture power in two States after the Assembly elections in five States - it has a chance in Kerala and Assam - this would be exploited as confirmation of the losing popularity of the National Democratic Alliance led by Mr. Vajpayee. And if the DMK were to lose the elections in Tamil Nadu - the problems it has had within its own front have made it vulnerable - the NDA graph would certainly begin to look like it was on a downward slide.

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Section  : National
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