HVK Archives: New plan to blunt BJP's chances of coming of power
New plan to blunt BJP's chances of coming of power - The Times of India
Askari H. Zaidi
()
19 August 1997
Title: Kesri, V.P. plan new alliance to blunt BJP's chances of coming of power
Author: Askari H. Zaidi
Publication: The Times of India
Date: August 19, 1997
Congress president Sitaram Kesri and former prime minister V.P. Singh an
said to be working out a electoral alliance to eliminate the chances of the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coming to power both In Uttar Pradesh and at
the Centre after the next general elections.
Besides Mr Kesri and Mr Singh, former Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad
Yadav, defence minister Mulayam Singh Yaday, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
chief Kanshi Ram, Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) president G.Y. Moopanar,
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M. Karunanidhi and Andhra Pradesh
chief minister Chandrababu Naidu are the other leaders expected to play an
important role in making the alliance possible.
Sources close to both Mr Kesri and Mr Singh stated that while having no
intention to destabilise the Gujral government, the two influential leaders
had begun the exercise of working out a new alliance as such electoral
tie-ups took time to mature.
"In any case, Mr Kesri and Mr Singh want to make Uttar Pradesh the testing
ground for a new electoral understanding as they feel that the assembly
elections in the state are not far," said a reliable source.
Mr Kanshi Ram's statement in Chennai on Sunday ruling out the possibility
of any electoral alliance with the BJP has boosted the efforts for a new
alliance, set in motion after Mr V.P. Singh's return to the capital from
London recently.
Both Mr Kesri and Mr Singh, having an understanding with Mr Kanshi Ram, are
likely to persuade him to get out of his alliance with the BJP sooner than
later. Also, they may try to Iron out the differences between Mr Mulayam
Singh Yadav and Mr Kanshi Ram, though the chances are slim.
A Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh has held separate talks with Mr Kesri
and Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav to work out an electoral tie-up involving the
Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal.
According to one estimate based on the results of the last Uttar Pradesh
polls, even if the Congress, Janata Dal and the Samajwadi Party came
together, they can poll about 35 per cent of the votes, which appear enough
to defeat the BJP.
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