Though some central BJP leaders did not share Kalyan Singhs feeling that Governor Romesh Bhandari would be forced by circumstances to invite the BJP to form the government, and Singhs assertion that the BJP would prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly, the party yesterday took the official position that there was no possiblity of a coalition government led by any other party than the BJP.
The BJP has concluded that even if the Assembly, which has been kept in suspended animation, is dissolved, the party would stand to gain mileage by staking claim. It would at least help the party to project a martyrs image, a senior BJP leader said. A senior BJP office-bearer admitted that the partys recent effort to woo Kanshi Ram had failed. Ram had clarified to some BJP leaders who were in touch with him that he would prefer fresh Assembly elections to joining a BJP coalition.
governemnt with the BJP, the BJP office bearer added. Party spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said now the effo-rts would be to install a BJP-led government. All other options are closed now, she declared.
The change in BJPs thinking has come after a meeting between Singh and party president LK Advani on Friday in which Singh gave his assessment of the states political situation. Singh felt that the present deadlock between the United Front and the BSP-Congress combine and the fear that the presidential proclamation, which imposed Presidents rule on the state, might not get ratified by Parliament, would force the central government to ask Bhandari to invite the BJP to form the government, Swaraj said.
Singh also told Advani that the BJP, if invited to form government, would get support from various political parties and independents. Even when some political parties would not openly associate with the BJP, their MLAS would abstain from voting during the confidence vote and allow the BJP government to prove its majority, Singh assured Advani.
