The Hindu : Front Page : Doors open for post-poll ties with SP, BSP: Congress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004

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Front Page

Doors open for post-poll ties with SP, BSP: Congress

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 27. With its estimates matching the exit poll results, the Congress has begun working on the post-result scenario and was today confident that its secular alliance along with the Left parties would have a "clear majority'' in the 14th Lok Sabha but kept its doors open for a post-poll alliance with either the Samajwadi Party or the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Though on Monday the Congress had said that its secular alliance alone would be able to form the Government at the Centre, the party's chief spokesman, S. Jaipal Reddy, said today: "We do not share the view that the 14th Lok Sabha is likely to be hung. Our well-considered conclusion is that the Congress and its allies and the Left parties will have a clear majority in this election.''

On whether the Congress would join forces with the Trinamool Congress — given its statements of reviewing ties with the National Democratic Alliance — Mr. Reddy closed this option and said: "All those who are allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party in this crucial battle will not be welcome.'' While this was the official line after the Congress' strategy committee met here this afternoon, the internal assessment is that its alliance with the support of the Left parties would fall short of the halfway mark of 272 by about 40 seats which the party hopes to make up with support from either the SP or the BSP and some "breakaways from the NDA.''

But, for the record, the Congress will continue with a "closed door policy'' towards the NDA constituents till the end of polling as it would otherwise find itself in an indefensible position on the ground where it is in direct fight with parties such as the Nationalist Trinamool Congress at whose expense the party hopes to pick up seats in West Bengal.

Also, any move to open the doors to the Trinamool at this juncture could well sour ties with the Left.

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