NDA woes, a boost for JD factions

By S. Rajendran

BANGALORE, MARCH 20. The Janata Dal (United) and the Janata Dal (Secular) believe that the "tehelka tapes" scam which has rocked the National Democratic Alliance Government, the BJP in particular, has come as a "blessing in disguise" to them in their efforts towards a merger which has been eluding them over the past few months.

The stand of the JD(U) leader and former Chief Minister, Mr. Ramakrishna Hegde, that the JD(U) should pull out of the NDA has come as a shot in the arm for some of the legislators who were unhappy with Mr. Hegde's stance. The senior leader, much to the chagrin of the party legislators, had repeatedly said that pulling out of the NDA would not be that easy since the JD(U) would not like to force yet another Lok Sabha election on the country.

Sources in the JD(U) here, who have been in constant touch with the party leaders over the developments in New Delhi, told The Hindu here today that they were confident that the JD(U) would pull out of the NDA in the event the NDA did not collapse on its own. "Mr. Ramakrishna Hegde has the backing of the national President of the JD(U) and the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr. Sharad Yadav, on his stance on what could be called the threat held out to the NDA. Mr. Hegde is largely unhappy with the manner in which the NDA and, in particular, the BJP has treated him over the past year."

Senior leaders, including the working President of the JD(U) State unit, Mr. K.B. Shanappa, the Floor Leader of the party in the Legislative Council, Mr. Basavaraj Horatti, and the MLC, Dr. M.P. Nadagouda, have repeatedly expressed their resentment over the raw deal given to Mr. Hegde by the NDA and the BJP.

That Mr. Hegde was kept out of the Union Cabinet because of the pressure exerted by the Samata Party leader and former Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, is well known. Mr. Hegde would obviously like to utilise the present opportunity to tell the NDA that the JD(U) would have nothing to do with the NDA if a tainted person like Mr. George Fernandes continued to be its convenor. "With the BJP in a tight situation, it is highly unlikely that Mr. Fernandes will be removed from the convenorship and consequently the JD(U) will, logically, come out of the NDA," the JD sources said.

Senior JD(U) leaders, including the Floor Leader of the party in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. P.G.R. Sindhia, and the former minister, Mr. B.N. Bachche Gowda, are now full of confidence since it was they who had initiated the merger moves with the JD(S), much against the wishes of Mr. Hegde, who had time and again stated that the merger should be contemplated only after the differences between the two parties were sorted out. In the view of Mr. Hegde, a merger hastily executed could always result in another split.

The JD legislators seeking the merger said the "tehelka tapes" scam and its fallout should be fully exploited by the JD, at least in Karnataka, where a unified JD was the only alternative to the Congress. The JD(U) and the JD(S) put together have around 55 members in the two Houses of the State Legislature.

For the JD(S), the differences in the NDA has also come as a boon. While the former Prime Minister, Mr. H.D. Deve Gowda, has been working overtime in pushing his idea of a third front, State-level leaders, including the President of the State unit and the former Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Siddaramaiah, are pleased with the developments and are of the opinion that the merger with the JD(U) will now come about sooner than what was earlier contemplated.

The senior leaders of the two parties are now attempting to arrive at a working understanding by virtue of which there could be a joint campaign for the coming elections to the municipal bodies scheduled to be held in May. The two parties could put up common candidates although the symbols could be different. Further, the delicate issue of talks between Mr. Deve Gowda and Mr. Hegde before the merger is finalised, can be put off for the present. Usually senior leaders such as Mr. Deve Gowda and Mr. Hegde do not campaign for party candidates for the municipal elections.

Of the three Lok Sabha members elected on the JD(U) ticket from the State, Mr. V. Srinivas Prasad switched his loyalties to the Samata Party, and Mr. Ramesh Jigajinagi, an ardent follower of Mr. Hegde shifted to the Jana Lok Shakti party floated by the Union Communications Minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan. The only other MP, Mr. Shashi Kumar, elected from Chitradurga, has "remained out" in a certain sense since he has not represented the interests of the State JD(U) in the NDA nor in other quarters, as was expected of him by the party. He rarely attends party meetings.

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