PANAJI, Jan 25: Union minister of Law and Justice Ramakant Khalap on Friday took recourse to his usual ``play-it-safe'' attitude when called upon to spell out his post-poll political preferences by asserting that the United Front was confident of coming to power.Talking to mediapersons, Khalap who arrived here for his campaigning said, ``The national politics is in a flux.''
Asked if he shared the Front's opinion that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was communal, Khalap tried to steer clear of any controversy by saying, ``I am going to seek the people's mandate in this election on the basis of my performance and not by calling names to this party and that.''
Asked to comment on the impact of Sonia Gandhi's entry on the poll scene, the Union Minister said individuals do not matter in politics. Once again, he tried to steer clear of controversy over her citizenship by saying that as Law Minister of the country, his commitment was to the Constitution and as per the constitution every Indian citizen has
the right to become the country's prime minister.
Replying to queries about the speculation that he was trying for BJP support in the elections to make his north Goa seat secure by consolidating the common Hindu vote bank, Khalap avoided a direct replay and said he would be seeking the support of all the voters in Goa whether they were from Congress, BJP or the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP).
Reports said the relatively weakened position of the MGP after UGDP, which backed Khalap in the last election, decided to keep away from him this time, had compelled MGP leaders to cling to BJP for support. Information from the BJP camp reveals that Khalap had offered to support the BJP candidate in South Goa in return for BJP support for his candidature in North Goa.
However, tough postures adopted by state BJP leadership has withheld meaningful progress on this front. The local BJP unit is insisting that Khalap should contest on the BJP symbol as a safeguard against his post-poll defection either to
Congress or the United Front.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
