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Thursday, July 17, 2008
BJP eyes Congress camp
Sensing the possibility of turning the tables on the Manmohan Singh regime, BJP has joined the efforts to defeat the government in the July 22 trust vote in the Lok Sabha by taking the fight to the Congress camp and seeking to poach the party's MPs in Karnataka.
After intense in-house discussions, BJP brass has come around to the view that the UPA government is a lot more vulnerable than was initially thought. The main Opposition now feels that the numbers are "slipping away'' from the government as the ranks of "undecided'' parties and MPs has not shrunk too much six days ahead of the vote.
Over the past two days, BJP has shed its ambivalence, which in part was a tactical decision to prevent a sharpening of "secular-communal'' faultlines, and reached out to Congress MPs in Karnataka where it won an impressive victory in May. At least two "important'' MPs are in negotiations with BJP and the saffron brigade feels more could follow suit.
With the 14th Lok Sabha running out of time, MPs are evaluating their prospects and in Karnataka, BJP is definitely the more attractive option for several Congress MPs. It is also understood that senior BJP leaders are similarly probing the Congress's flanks in at least one other state as well.
The view in BJP is that a likely election in November would suit it if the government were to fall next week. Inflation is not likely to come down till the end of the year and the NDA would aim to pin down the government for having failed to complete its term in office while making a mess of "aam admi'' concerns. The NDA would like to present itself as being more capable of running coalitions than Congress.
By snapping at Congress's heels, BJP hopes to force the UPA lead player to devote attention to guarding its own flock at a time when it needs to urgently woo new allies. BJP is also competing with Congress for the same set of allies, with the party reaching out to Shibu Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader, Ajit Singh, and a group of Independents who are critical pawns in the number game in Lok Sabha.
BJP has been trying to persuade NC that it cannot hope to gain much by supporting Congress as the equations in Jammu and Kashmir have altered in the last month or so. After the Amarnath land-for-pilgrims controversy, Congress is facing a backlash in Jammu while the Valley was in any case up in arms. The possibility of forming a government in partnership with Congress in the approaching Assembly elections is bleak. If NC did not get a majority, it could very well need BJP support as the saffron party feels it's on an upswing in Jammu.
The Opposition party is working hard to wean RLD chief Ajit Singh, another key player, away from the UPA camp.
After intense in-house discussions, BJP brass has come around to the view that the UPA government is a lot more vulnerable than was initially thought. The main Opposition now feels that the numbers are "slipping away'' from the government as the ranks of "undecided'' parties and MPs has not shrunk too much six days ahead of the vote.
Over the past two days, BJP has shed its ambivalence, which in part was a tactical decision to prevent a sharpening of "secular-communal'' faultlines, and reached out to Congress MPs in Karnataka where it won an impressive victory in May. At least two "important'' MPs are in negotiations with BJP and the saffron brigade feels more could follow suit.
With the 14th Lok Sabha running out of time, MPs are evaluating their prospects and in Karnataka, BJP is definitely the more attractive option for several Congress MPs. It is also understood that senior BJP leaders are similarly probing the Congress's flanks in at least one other state as well.
The view in BJP is that a likely election in November would suit it if the government were to fall next week. Inflation is not likely to come down till the end of the year and the NDA would aim to pin down the government for having failed to complete its term in office while making a mess of "aam admi'' concerns. The NDA would like to present itself as being more capable of running coalitions than Congress.
By snapping at Congress's heels, BJP hopes to force the UPA lead player to devote attention to guarding its own flock at a time when it needs to urgently woo new allies. BJP is also competing with Congress for the same set of allies, with the party reaching out to Shibu Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader, Ajit Singh, and a group of Independents who are critical pawns in the number game in Lok Sabha.
BJP has been trying to persuade NC that it cannot hope to gain much by supporting Congress as the equations in Jammu and Kashmir have altered in the last month or so. After the Amarnath land-for-pilgrims controversy, Congress is facing a backlash in Jammu while the Valley was in any case up in arms. The possibility of forming a government in partnership with Congress in the approaching Assembly elections is bleak. If NC did not get a majority, it could very well need BJP support as the saffron party feels it's on an upswing in Jammu.
The Opposition party is working hard to wean RLD chief Ajit Singh, another key player, away from the UPA camp.
Labels: Indian Politics
# posted by gopi @ 8:15 AM 
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