The Hindu : National : No wave in favour of BJP, says Yechury

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 16, 2004

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National

No wave in favour of BJP, says Yechury

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 15. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) today contested the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani's claims that there was a wave in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party. "Though he has a right to delude himself, the claim is absolutely ridiculous," the senior politburo member, Sitaram Yechurey, said.

Releasing a booklet to counter the National Democratic Alliance's "India Shining" campaign, the CPI(M) leader charged the ruling combine with "indulging in a massive disinformation campaign." He said that the stampede during a function to distribute saris in the Prime Minister's constituency, which resulted in the death of several women, "had exposed the hollowness of their campaign." He alleged that the women were made to pay money for the saris. [According to a newspaper report, BJP leaders had allegedly collected Rs. 20 from each woman for transportation and registration; in return, the women were promised "a sari worth Rs. 500 and a lavish lunch."]

Mr. Yechury accused the NDA of trying to "whitewash the whole tragedy and browbeat people into not giving evidence against those responsible for the tragedy." He called on the Uttar Pradesh Government to conduct a transparent inquiry into the matter.

Predicting a "nasty surprise" for the NDA after the elections, Mr. Yechury said the ruling alliance would lose seats in crucial States such as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar. "They won the majority of the seats in these three States in the last election; this time they will be hard put to win even half the seats."

Mr. Yechury, who returned here today after a hectic round of campaigning in Andhra Pradesh, said that the NDA's campaign in the State had fallen flat. "Mr. Advani's yatra failed to evoke a response." According to him, even the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's meetings in Rajamundry, Nellore and Vishakhapatnam had failed to draw crowds. "There is an anti-incumbency factor against both the Central Government and the TDP Government in the State."

He expressed scepticism over the agreement between the Centre and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT). "They have entered into an agreement on the eve of elections to gain political legitimacy." In principle, he supported the idea of insurgents coming to the negotiating table, but pointed out that the NLFT had, in the past, refused to enter into a dialogue.

Mr. Yechury said that the change in the NLFT position had been prompted by political considerations. "In Tripura, they have floated a tribal party, the INPT, as a political front." On the NFLT's decision to hold parleys with Mr. Advani, he said it had been done with a view to establishing a political relationship with the BJP.

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