BJP may ignore Haryana unit’s objection to tie up with Chautala

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Suman K Jha Posted: Sep 06, 2008 at 0033 hrs IST

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New Delhi, September 5: The BJP will soon constitute its “manifesto committee” for the coming Lok Sabha elections. In the run up to the parliamentary polls, the party’s “Core Group on Elections” on Friday met panels of leaders from Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra. While alliances in Punjab and Maharashtra will be on expected lines (with the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena respectively), the party may overrule its state unit and prefer to go with Om Prakash Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal in Haryana.

Haryana has 10 Lok Sabha seats. Most of the 13-member team from Haryana — including state BJP president Atma Prakash Manchanda, state BJP organising secretary Harjeet Singh Grewal and Sonepat MP Kishen Singh Sangwan — that met the party brass on Friday, felt that in a state where Jat-non-Jat polarisation is often decisive in electoral outcomes, Bhajan Lal’s support base would add up to the BJP votes. “The INLD’s reputation is not something that would go well with the BJP’s image,” contended a state party leader.

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The central leaders, including those hailing form Haryana, however, felt that Om Prakash Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal would be a better bet for the BJP in the state. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal, too, is believed to have taken up Chautala’s case with the BJP brass. “There’s a sizeable Sikh presence in the state. It’s only natural that Badal would be interested in the state,” admitted a central BJP leader.

“We are open to alliances in Haryana. Both Om Prakash Chautala’s INLD and Kuldip Bishnoi’s Haryana Vikas Party are on the party’s radar,” said BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu after the meeting. Bishnoi was present at the NDA’s pre-July 22 trust vote dinner.

Meanwhile, Chautala is in talks with other parties as well. The Indian Express saw Chautala meeting N Chandrababu Naidu on August 23 close to midnight, after the Telugu Desam Party chief had held a two-hour-long discussion with BSP chief Mayawati.

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