BJP denies ‘tacit deal’ with NCP

Prakash Javadekar

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday dismissed as “false” the allegations by opponents that the Bharatiya Janata Party had a tacit understanding with the Nationalist Congress Party.

“This perception is being deliberately created by some quarters. It was the BJP that fought against the corruption of NCP Ministers,” Mr. Javadekar told reporters here.

Confident that his party, which is fighting 257 seats out of the Assembly’s 288, would surge ahead with a clear majority, Mr. Javadekar said there was no question of a post-poll alliance. “We don’t want to discuss impossible theories. No chance of that,” he said.

Mr. Javadekar said the people of Maharashtra would be voting for good governance to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government at the Centre in particular and against the ‘corruption’ during the 15-year Congress-NCP rule in the State.

Relying heavily on the rallies to be led by its chief campaigner, Mr. Modi, the BJP hoped that its “manpower” of Central ministers and senior national leaders would fill the organisational vacuum created by its split with the Sena.

With just a fortnight left before voting, the BJP’s strategy will be to use most of its known national and State leaders across the State.

“Unlike the Sena, the Congress and the NCP, we have many popular faces. We will surely use that manpower,” Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, BJP vice-president, told The Hindu .

Even as supporters of the Sena and the BJP continue to indulge in a blame game as to who was responsible for the break-up of the alliance, the two parties have avoided targeting each other officially.

However, to counter any threats posed by the Sena’s posturing that the BJP betrayed the people of Maharashtra and hurt Marathi pride by splitting with it for a few seats, the BJP is keen to ensure that its “national identities” are not in confrontation with the local issues. “We don’t believe this strategy will work. We are also a regional party. We cannot be national in thin air,” said Mr. Sahasrabuddhe.