The Hindu : Arms dealer upsets BJP's calculations

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Saturday, Nov 09, 2002

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Arms dealer upsets BJP's calculations

By Our Special Correspondent

Lalit Suri filing his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha election in Lucknow on Friday. — Photo: Subir Roy

NEW DELHI NOV. 8. The expected, but now confirmed, entry of Suresh Nanda, an arms dealer with substantial financial resources at his command, in the arena for Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh scheduled for November 18 has set the cat among the pigeons. Another "heavyweight'' in this category of candidates is hotelier Lalit Suri. Both filed their nominations for the Upper House in Lucknow today, BJP sources confirmed.

What is more, despite a stern warning by the party's State chief, Vinay Katiyar, it seems that some dissident BJP MLAs have themselves claimed they have supported Mr. Nanda's candidature, while in the case of Mr. Suri (who is a candidate for a mid-term vacancy) the BJP, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party have jointly supported him.

If the party were to act on its threats it should lead to expulsion of some MLAs which could again fuel further dissidence. The party spokesperson, Arun Jaitley, disclosed that a circular had been issued to all party MLAs in U.P. informing them that signing forms as proposers of candidates other than party's official candidates would amount to "voluntarily relinquishing membership of the party''.

The BJP general secretary, Rajnath Singh, filing his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections, in Lucknow on Friday. — Photo: Subir Roy

The one result of the political imbroglio in U.P. is that the former general secretary of the party, Sunil Shastri, has been left high and dry. His present Rajya Sabha term comes to an end later this month.

There are 10 candidates of political parties — four of the Samajwadi Party which has the strength to ensure their victory with a little help from Kalyan Singh's, Rashtriya Kranti Party; three candidates of the BSP who may get through if Mayawati can hold her flock together for she has been promised some help by Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal; the BJP has fielded two, Rajnath Singh and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, and should easily ensure victory for both but for the uncertainty created by dissidence and the expected big play of money power; and finally, the Congress has fielded one and would need some outside help to see him through.

In normal circumstance, all would have got elected as there are 10 full-term vacancies. But Mr. Nanda's entry means that he could bag the needed 37 votes. The big question is whose votes will be cut? As for Mr. Suri, since he is contesting for a mid-term vacancy (other than the full-term 10 vacancies) he would need a simple clear majority of votes, and with three parties supporting him, he would win.

After raids on some dissident legislators of the BJP and the arrest of at least two, the third factor of money has entered into the election game. The elections will also offer an opportunity to dissidents to hit back. The one big deterrence, however, would be that Rajnath Singh is considered to be close to a number of dissidents.

The Government's proposed amendment to the Representation of the People Act to change the voting rules to provide for "transparency'' as against "secrecy'' in Rajya Sabha elections has not been supported by all parties. While the BJP and some others want it to end the role of money in Rajya Sabha elections, some other parties are wary that this would hurt the basic concept of a "fair and free'' election based on secrecy of the ballot. After all, if the rule for the Rajya Sabha was changed, tomorrow there would be a move to change the "secrecy'' rule for voting in presidential and vice-presidential polls.

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