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BJP to share seats with RSS-backed Morcha in J&K

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI AUG. 21. The Bharatiya Janata Party's central election committee today decided to go in for seat adjustment with the newly formed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-backed Morcha in Jammu and Kashmir, which has taken up trifurcation of the State as its main agenda.

Announcing this after the meeting which took place at the Prime Minister's residence, the BJP general secretary and spokesperson, Arun Jaitley, defended the decision: "the BJP is against trifurcation of the State, but we share the perception (with the Morcha) on the issue of neglect of the Jammu region.'' The decision was taken "to avoid division of nationalist (read Sangh Parivar) votes'', he said. Apparently, the party has not taken a decision on a joint campaign with the Morcha (of RSS and VHP activists) but the chances are they will, for the cadre is common to both the BJP and the RSS.

It seems that talks have already taken place between the BJP leaders and the Morcha. Last week, they met at the residence of the BJP president, Venkaiah Naidu, and the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K.Advani, was also present. The party was at first trying to persuade the RSS and the VHP not to contest the election as part of the Morcha. But that did not work. The leadership felt that the next best strategy for the party was to join them.

The BJP has identified three major issues for the Jammu and Kashmir election campaign — elimination of militancy, development of the State and ending regional neglect of Jammu and Ladakh. The party manifesto is expected to support the idea of regional councils.

This has once again put a question mark on the BJP's public opposition to the RSS and Vishwa Hindu Parishad's campaign in favour of dividing the state into Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh. Although the BJP has said that dividing the State would be playing into Pakistan's hands, there is clearly more than a sneaking sympathy with the RSS demand within the BJP.

Party sources have indicated that the BJP may contest about 60 of the 87 seats in the State. Of these, 8 to10 seats may be left for the Morcha. The other seats not contested by the BJP will be mainly in the Kashmir region.

Today, the party more or less finalised its list of candidates, but refrained from announcing the names till the seats to be "left'' for the Morcha are decided. The party's central election committee has authorised Mr. Naidu to announce the names of the candidates later.

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• Election process in J & K begins today
• BJP to share seats with RSS-backed Morcha in J&K
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