NEW DELHI: “Let US not mix friendship with politics,” Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam president and Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi are believed to have told Akali Dal leader Surjit Singh Bamala when approached for his party’s support for the Bharatiya Janata Panty Government at the Center.

Mr. Karunanidhi has made it clear to Mr. Barnala, during his conversation, that the DMKTamil Maanila Congress, which has 37 Members in the Lok Sabha, would not support the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government ‘on the trial of strength, according to. BJP sources.

Mr. Barnala, known to be a personal friend of Mr, Karunanidhi, had assumed the role of the troubleshooter for the BJP and had tried hard to convince the DMK chief about the desirability to support the Vajpayee Government on the floor of the Lok Sabha.

According to sources, Mr. Karunanidhi had expressed his inability to withdraw his position after formation of the coalition in which he played a leading floe. He made it clear that his commitments to the third fine remained undiluted.

With Mr, Barnala’s overture to win over DMK coming a cropper, the BJP camp appeared to have reconciled with the realization that it should not be able to secure enough support to ‘Survive the trial of strength. BJP strategists were pinning their hopes on. Mr, Barnala’s ability to rope in the support of DMKTMC.

BJP strategists were showing signs of optimism following reports about the difference of opinion within the third front over the support from the Congress. Kamataka Janata Dal leader R.K, Hegde’s outburst against the Front had boosted the confidence of the BJP leaders that the Front would collapse.

But the news about Mr, Kanananidhi’s firm political stand has caused a setback to the BJP”s game~ plan, There is growing skepticism within the BJP over the skill of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhalrom Singh Shekhawat who has promised to get the crucial support of regional satraps of South India. A senior party leader said Mr. Shekhawat’s attempt was unlikely to yield positive results as DMKTMC alliance and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had taken a rigid stand.

Having exhausted all means to secure the support of the regional parties, senior BJP leaders are gradually putting their acts together to face the trial of strength in the Lok Sabha. Still, top party leaders maintained the BJP would win the vote of confidence. “But this is for public consumption” said a party functionary.

 

Top party strategists who formed the core group of the Sangh Pariwar are now busy in charting out a comprehensive strategy to wriggle out of the precarious political situation. Even senior party office-bearers now admit, albeit privately, that the defeat of the BJP Government is a certainty.

As of now, the BJP leadership has decided to take its political battle to logical end. According to a party general secretary, the BJP Government would not resign in the event of its failure to coopt regional parties, “Even if we know that the defeat is a Certainty, we will fight it to the end™ he said after plotting party’s political strategy.

In fact, BJP strategists are keen on gaining maximum political mileage Out of the present political imbroglio: Senior party leaders said the party would throw certain issues to the political center stage as a part of its Strategy to “damage limitation™ exercise if the Government fell.

On the face of it, the BJP is trying to build up a case of “persecuted Hindutva” if the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government falls through in the Lok ‘Sabha.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 22, 1996