The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BJP getting ready for any eventuality

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 27, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BJP getting ready for any eventuality

B. S. Satish Kumar

Bangalore: From a low-key stance over the last 18 months, the Bharatiya Janata Party is now taking an assertive posture on the issue of transfer of power from the Janata Dal (S) in the State.

In the meanwhile, it is also preparing for a situation where such a transfer may not take place, and has launched several programmes to galvanise its party organisation for “poll-readiness.”

Such a two-pronged approach suggests that the BJP does not intend to be caught on the back foot by any eventuality. As per the power-sharing agreement, the Janata Dal (S) is scheduled to hand over the Chief Minister’s post to the BJP on October 3. But uncertainty has marked the run-up to the transfer with some Janata Dal (S) Ministers and leaders opposing it publicly.

Though Janata Dal (S) president H. D. Deve Gowda has supported the transfer of power to the BJP, he also hinted that the BJP has to abide by “certain conditions” for this to happen.

The BJP activated its party cadre during its Vikas Yatra which it launched in April. Despite a good response from its supporters, the party had to convince its poll partner that the campaign did not present a threat to the coalition.After the Vikas Yatra, the BJP deliberately kept a low profile with its leaders even desisting from responding to statements from several Janata Dal (S) leaders openly opposing the transfer of power. At its recent State executive, the party took a forceful public position on the issue, stating that the power-sharing agreement was a “solemn pact” between the two parties which had to be honoured.

At the same meeting, the party also finalised a programme for constituting booth-level committees in the 42,000 polling booths in the State.

All the party Ministers, legislators and office-bearers have been told to participate in this programme. The party has also chalked out separate programmes for each of its frontal organisations.

Thus, the BJP leadership intends to turn to its advantage any situation that it finds itself in.

While it is ready to rule the State if given the Chief Minister’s post, the party will have a readymade issue with which to go to the people in the next elections if it is denied that opportunity.

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