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BJP softpedals on Coimbatore blasts to wean away DMK, post-poll

R R Nair in New Delhi

The Bharatiya Janata Party's reaction to the Coimbatore serial blasts points to an attempt to keep its options open for post-poll adjustments.

In spite of party president Lal Kishenchand Advani and its prime ministerial candidate Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statements that the Coimbatore blasts were an attempt on Advani's life, the BJP has not demanded the dismissal of the Tamil Nadu government.

Nor has the party asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi to own up responsibility and resign from the chief ministership.

The party has only said the Tamil Nadu government was responsible for the security arrangements and that there was a lapse. The issue was not even taken up as an instance of a major breakdown of law and order in the state.

The reason for this kid-glove treatment of a politically potential issue, particularly when the BJP is fighting the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-Tamil Maanila Congress combine in alliance with Karunanidhi's arch-rival, All India Anna DMK supremo J Jayalalitha, could be an attempt by the BJP to throw open its doors for a post poll adjustment with the DMK if need be.

High-ranking BJP leaders admit that the feedback after the first phase of the election indicates that the party and its allies may fall short of a simple majority. If the BJP only needs a score of members to support the formation of the it might seek the support of the United Front constituents.

In such a scenario, the BJP feels the two parties which could come out of the UF to its aid are the DMK and the Telugu Desam Party.

The logic is based on the fact that the Congress is the TDP's electoral enemy number one in Andhra Pradesh.

The only other option for TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandra Babu Naidu would be to support a Congress-led coalition. The BJP feels the TDP, essentially a regional party, would not attempt political harakiri by supporting the Congress at the Centre when the TDP's very existence is challenged by the Congress in Andhra Pradesh.

As for the DMK, the Jain Commission report and Congress's demand for the resignation of the DMK ministers have brought about a breach with the Congress that could not bridged, feels the BJP.

So in any case the DMK would not support a Congress-led coalition even if G Karupaiah Moopanar's Tamil Maanila Congress favours such a dispensation, is how the BJP draws the picture.

But the biggest impediment for the BJP in building bridges with the DMK, is Jayalalitha.

A BJP national executive member told Rediff On The NeT, "When it is a question of political survival we would go all out to somehow get the support of the DMK, notwithstanding our alliance with the AIADMK. Moreover we have an excellent personal rapport with the DMK leadership."

The bomb blasts in Coimbatore, the banning of Islamic outfits by the Tamil Nadu government; the central government's indication of the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence agency's hand in the blasts, a possible limited sympathy factor; all this, the BJP feels, would have a favourable impact in at least three constituencies in Tamil Nadu and a spillover effect in neighbouring Andhra and Karnataka.

A BJP leader indicated that the party is confident that even Sonia Gandhi's calling Vajpayee a liar could influence undecided voters.

"Much before Vajpayee became a noted parliamentarian Nehru had publicly proclaimed that Vajpayee has the makings of a future prime minister. Indira Gandhi or Rajiv or for that matter even our bitter enemy the Samajwadi Party has not pointed fingers at Vajpayee. Sonia adopting this kind of an unaccountable hit and run gimmick could only make undecided voters cast their votes in our favour," says a BJP leader.

Elections '98

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