Sensex Edges Up Amid Uneasy Calm
Lok Shakti chief Ramakrishna Hegde's attempts to rope in Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is based on his desire to acquire a bargaining position vis-a-vis the BJP in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in September.
If Hegde succeeds, the BJP will be left with few options but to accept his conditions which involve the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats being shared on an equal basis. The BJP has already agreed in principle to project him as the Chief Minister, a senior party leader said.
Union civil aviation minister Ananth Kumar said the BJP's alliance was with the Lok Shakti and not others. This could mean that the Janata Dal, which was trying to become a part of the National Democratic Alliance, would have to come through the Lok Shakti, another party leader said. This would suit Hegde as well, he added.
The BJP has communicated informally to Hegde that he will be the BJP-Lok Shakti alliance's unanimous choice for the post of Chief Minister provided the Lok Shakti agreed to contest from one-third of the 28 Lok Sabha and 224 Assembly seats, a BJP office-bearer said. Under the proposal, Hegde was to leave two-thirds of the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats for the BJP.
Hegde, however, was not receptive to the idea as he wanted fifty per cent of both the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats. He thus turned his attention to Patel who was his confidante when he became the Chief Minister in 1996 after H D Deve Gowda left the office to become Prime Minister.
Hegde's support to the BJP helped it win 13 Lok Sabha seats in 1998, however, the Lok Shakti performed miserably and won only three. This brought down his political stature and influence in state as well as national politics. According to some BJP leaders, Hegde does not have strong candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.
Hegde's attempt to broaden his political base has irked the BJP. Ananth Kumar said the BJP was unaware of the talks Hegde and Samata Party President George Fernandes had with Patel.
Party spokesperson M Venkaiah Naidu clarified that there was no formal proposal, suggestion or request from Patel to join the BJP-led alliance. Naidu made the statement this after speaking to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The BJP spokesperson refused to attribute motives behind Hegde or Fernandes' talks with Patel without informing the BJP. He, however, clarified the BJP had not taken the initiative. They would be consulted before a final decision was taken, he added.
He stressed the BJP would not take any decision about Karnataka without consulting Hegde.