The Hindu : `BJP high command took a short-term view'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`BJP high command took a short-term view'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB. 21. Senior leaders of the State Bharatiya Janata Party blame the high command for the failure to get the preferred constituencies in the seat-sharing talks with the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

According to a functionary, who was involved in the talks, the State unit was prepared to walk away from the alliance once it became clear that the BJP would not get Tiruchi, Tenkasi, Sivaganga and South Chennai. The State unit initially believed that the difficulties in the negotiations would not extend beyond the dispute over Pudukottai; however, the AIADMK refused to give the other seats specifically sought by the BJP. Indeed, the AIADMK put pressure on the BJP negotiating team, asking for Nilgiris, which was won by the BJP in the last two Lok Sabha elections.

Pushed to choose between Nilgiris and Tiruchi, the BJP had to give up Tiruchi. "Actually, we expected a blank cheque from the AIADMK as there were no other partners in the alliance. But we had to fight for each of the seven seats," he said. Both Sukumaran Nambiar and L. Ganesan, who were part of the negotiations, refused to sign the final agreement though they posed for photographs.

The bargaining strength of the State unit came down as the high command, taking a short-term view, okayed the alliance. The central leadership was more interested in increasing the BJP's chances of winning a few seats in Tamil Nadu than looking at the larger picture, he said.

List finalisation

Meanwhile, the State unit president, C.P. Radhakrishnan, talking to reporters after a meeting of the election coordination committee, said the list of candidates would be finalised by February 25 and sent to the Central leadership. Only one candidate would be recommended for each of the three seats held by the BJP. A list of candidates would be sent for the other three seats in Tamil Nadu.

The Pondicherry unit would decide the candidate for the Union Territory.

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