Bjp Prefers Consensus Candidate

The BJP yesterday refused to commit itself on whom it would support as a successor to President Shankar Dayal Sharma, but indicated that it would favour a consensus among various political parties. Sharmas successor is due to be elected in June.

The BJP would first have to take a stand on whether it was a healthy trend to allow the automatic elevation of the vice-president to the Presidents post, party vice-president KL Sharma said. A section of BJP leaders hold that the practice would deter good candidates from contesting for the countrys top post.

Some BJP leaders said the United Front leaders did not seem serious in tossing around vice-president KR Narayanans name as Sharmas successor. Had the UF leaders been serious, they would not have proposed Narayanans name six months before the start of the actual election process, a senior BJP leader said.

 

Another senior BJP leader said the BJP first wanted to judge the mood in the ruling United Front and the Congress. Let the United Front first reach a consensus on Narayanans name, he said.

The BJP could be uneasy about Narayanan because he was not only a Congress MP but was most strongly backed by the Left parties when he became the vice-president. On the other hand, SD Sharma has had a close rapport with senior BJP leader AB Vajpayee.

The BJPs members would be outnumbered by the United Front and the Congress, if they decide to vote together.

KL Sharmas statement indicates that the BJP would fall in line in the name of consensus, but perhaps the party hopes that, either the other two major groups will fail to agree, or will agree on another name.