The Hindu : Chautala open to alliance with BJP after polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 03, 2004

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Other States - Haryana

Chautala open to alliance with BJP after polls

By Lalit K. Jha

JHAJJAR (HARYANA), MARCH. 2. Ruling out any electoral alliances with the Congress, the Haryana Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala, today said his Indian National Lok Dal was open to a coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party after the results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared in May.

Mr. Chautala, who had walked out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre recently alleging that the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was seeking votes for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, was talking to the media after addressing a public rally here. However, he reiterated his decision to go it alone in the polls.

Organised to mark the completion of four years of his Government in Haryana, the rally virtually launched his party's campaign for the upcoming Parliamentary elections. The general secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Sukhbir Singh Badal, which is a constituent of the NDA at the Centre, addressed the rally along with the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah.

"We have the experience of working with the BJP in the past. If the BJP leaders mend their way and remove the issue of construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya from their agenda, we can again enter into coalition with them. All depends on the post-election scenario. Nothing is clear at present," Mr. Chautala said.

Earlier, justifying his decision to withdraw support from the ruling NDA coalition at the Centre, Mr. Chaulata said the task of the Prime Minister of a country was not to construct a temple, but to work for the development of the nation. "This is the reason why we have decided to fight it alone this time," he said.

Attended by a large number of people from various parts of the State, the rally was a show of strength for Mr. Chautala, particularly after the road-show of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and the rallies of the Haryana Vikas Party of the former Chief Minister, Bansi Lal, and the BJP last week.

Mr. Chautala said the Indian National Lok Dal had decided to field candidates in all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana. In the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, the party had contested in alliance with the BJP, with both winning five seats each.

Announcing that the INLD would also field candidates in Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Chautala claimed that the Akali Dal (Badal) had decided to support his candidates in these States and Union Territories. "At these places, the Akali Dal (Badal) would not support the BJP candidates," he claimed.

Mr. Chautala said his party would contest the forthcoming elections on issues of development, peace and harmony. "After the polls, no Government at the Centre can be formed without support," he asserted.

Addressing the rally, Mr. Badal said the Chautala Government had not only resulted in all round development of the State, but Sikhs were also feeling secure under his regime. "This is a Sikh-friendly Government," he said in his speech in Punjabi.

In his speech, Mr. Abdullah urged the people of Haryana not to vote for any party which would compromise on Kashmir. "Talks are being held with Pakistan, but the nation is being kept in the dark. We are not being told, what is being discussed," he alleged.

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