NEW DELHI, Dec 30: Differences are cropping up between the BJP and its allies over the former's renewed insistence on including Ayodhya, Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code in its election manifesto. Though the BJP's stand so far has been that each party should have its individual manifesto, a section within the party favours a common manifesto with allies - which would not be possible if these issues are included.Samata Party president, George Fernandes, today called for a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) before the polls. He said this was the opinion of his party's national executive which met today. However, BJP vice president Sundar Singh Bhandari, ruled this out saying that a CMP was possible only after the elections.
Fernandes said that his party differed sharply with ally BJP on Ayodhya, Article 370 and uniform civil code. He also criticised the BJP's alliance with the AIADMK. Preliminary talks on seat adjustments in TN and Pondicherry were held here between BJP President L K Advani and Jayalalitha'semissaries today.
In an indication that the Samata Party is trying to carve out an identity independent of the BJP and position itself as a national party, he said that talks were on for a tie-up with the Biju Janata Dal in Orissa and S Bangarappa in Karnataka. The BJP is also trying for an alliance with both.
Fernandes also criticised the BJP's poll pact with Jayalalitha, whom he described as the ``fountainhead of corruption'' in Tamil Nadu. Samata spokesperson Digvijay Singh said that his party had split from the Janata Dal only on the issue of corruption and now the party could not compromise on the issue for the sake of the elections.
The Samata Party expects the BJP to respect the opinion of its allies and refrain from making controversial issues (Ayodhya etc) election planks. Singh referred to the omission of these issues from the President's Address when Atal Behari Vajpayee was prime minister and said that the same spirit could be shown now.
In the light of this, chances of a common manifesto
are remote, though Sundar Singh Bhandari said that this would be advisable. Efforts in this direction would begin after the seat adjustment process is completed, he indicated.
Meanwhile, the BJP today announced the formation of its election manifesto committee and election management committee. The nine-member election management committee is to be headed by party general secretary Pramod Mahajan while the 15-member manifesto committee will be be chaired by Jaswant Singh. Another general secretary, M Venkaiah Naidu, has been appointed central campaign coordinator.
Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
