BJP still waiting for a final solution

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 28. The BJP is still waiting for a ``final solution'' to its seat-sharing problems with its partners in Bihar, Orissa and Haryana even as it has become clear that less than friendly contests between the allies in the National Democratic Alliance cannot be avoided, especially in Bihar. In Orissa, too, an agreement is hanging in the balance and the BJP may have to be content with far fewer seats than the 50 per cent share the State unit has been demanding.

In fact, yet another area of disagreement was opened by the BJP today when it announced that its Central Election Committee, which met here today, has taken the decision to contest the Bellary Lok Sabha seat, which the Janata Dal (United) has claimed. ``It is not the final word,'' a JD(U) leader said, while pointing out that Bellary, which was part of the JD(U) quota in the Lok Sabha elections, had been given to the BJP only because of the decision of the Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, to contest from there. The BJP had fielded Ms. Sushma Swaraj and it had become a united NDA fight against Ms. Gandhi.

Apparently, even in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has not yet taken a final decision on whether or not to contest the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat, the BJP spokesperson, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, said. This could again lead to differences with the Loktantrik Congress Party, its partner in the Uttar Pradesh Government.

Sinha's efforts

Late tonight, Mr. Yashwant Sinha, Union Finance Minister, made a last bid to sort out seat-sharing with the allies in Bihar. He was to leave for Davos in Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum meeting but he had to postpone it by a day to devote time to the Bihar problem.

Mr. Pramod Mahajan, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, was also scheduled to meet Mr. Om Prakash Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal tonight and indications are the BJP may be preparing to settle for some 30 seats as opposed to its ``minimum demand'' of 35 in an Assembly of 90.

The BJP's Central Election Committee was presided by Mr. Jana Krishnamurthi in the absence of party president, Mr. Kushabhau Thakre, who is in hospital after a surgery to remove an artery blockage in the right leg. The Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, and the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K.Advani, were present.

Although the BJP is trying to remain optimistic about a final agreement, the allied parties admitted that contests between the allies cannot be avoided. In fact, Mr. Sinha has been holding separate meetings with the leaders of the JD(U) and the Samata.

The BJP today finalised some candidates for by- elections in various States. In Andhra Pradesh, it is leaving the sole Assembly segment to the Telugu Desam Party; in West Bengal, all three Assembly seats have been left for the Trinamul Congress; and the one Assembly seat in Punjab is to be contested by the Akali Dal. It announced some candidates for Madhya Pradesh (excepting Bhojpur), Rajasthan and Gujarat.

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Section  : National
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