The Hindu : National : BJP’s dilemma: to contest or not

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Thursday, Jul 19, 2007
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National

BJP’s dilemma: to contest or not

Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI: With defeat almost certain in the Presidential poll, a significant section of the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership has expressed its view that the party should keep out of the election for Vice-President.

A decision is expected soon after Thursday’s polling in the Presidential elections.

The core group of the BJP, comprising some 10 top leaders, is likely to meet at the residence of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here on Friday to work out a strategy.

NDA meeting

Later, a meeting of NDA leaders is expected to be called.

With the United National Progressive Alliance having announced its Vice-Presidential candidate — Rasheed Masood — BJP leaders point out that defeat will be certain in the Vice-Presidential race also if the United Progressive Alliance remains united the way it stayed together in the Presidential poll. No political advantage can be extracted from two defeats in a row, it is being argued.

However, another section is of the view that the BJP must fight the election and make its presence felt. It feels that the party has been able to draw political mileage from the Presidential poll campaign.

Open dissidence

With open dissidence in Gujarat and Rajasthan — some MLAs have threatened to vote for the UPA candidate Pratibha Patil — the BJP has not been able to keep its house in order, let alone the larger NDA.

The BJP poll managers watched helplessly as alliance partner Shiv Sena made common cause with the political enemy.

Throughout the campaign not a single MLA, MP or leader of the BJP’s allies in the NDA, except George Fernandes, said a single word against Ms. Patil. The entire campaign was managed by the BJP. A section of the leadership is of the view that another misadventure in the Vice-Presidential election could hurt the NDA further.

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