LS seat-sharing: BJP not ready to keep JD(U) in good humour

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Let the Janata Dal United go it alone in Jharkhand and fight the forthcoming general elections, the State BJP would not like to share (so many) seats with its junior ally which has demanded six parliamentary seats from the BJP, well-placed sources in the State BJP said.
After State UPA allies which entered into a virtual slang match with each other to stake claims over seats a month back, now it is the turn of the NDA allies to pick the trail, although the tussle is by-polar.

The JD(U) has claimed stake over Hazaribagh, Dhanbad, Giridiha, Chatra, Palamu and Godda. The BJP is not amused as its junior partner is claiming Hazaribagh constituency where the BJP wants to field its national vice president Yaswant Sinha.

Appearing determined to repeat what JD(U) did during the last Lok Sabha elections when it fielded its candidate in five parliamentary constituencies after the BJP refused to spare any seat for its junior ally, the president of State JD(U) said: "We respect BJP as our big brother and senior partner…but they should not dictate the terms as such."

Stating further Mahto added that JD(U) might not hesitate to field its candidates if nothing definite comes from the side of BJP. While both the parties tried to place the onus of seat sharing on the high command of party but the leaders of both the parties continue to harp disharmonious tones.

Although the sources in JD(U) confided that the party was adopting a pressure tactic to get at least two seats but Mahto who rejected it outright said: "The party wants not less than six seats as per the decision taken by the working committee and it would be least concerned about the probable damage that the NDA might face in the forthcoming LS election if JD (U) indeed decides to take on the BJP in a friendly contest for the above six parliamentary constituencies." In the last general elections when the JD(U) contested five seats on its own besides the BJP contesting all the seats- the NDA could not open its account in Jharkhand.

Reacting over the demands of the JD(U), the president of state BJP Pashupati Nath Singh said the decision and any comment in this regard could be taken only by the national president of the party and its prime ministerial candidate LK Advani. The State BJP had no role in it, he added. But with in the BJP the sources said that the party was firm in its decision not to leave any seat for the JD(U). BJP has already submitted the recommendation list of the party candidates for all 14 parliamentary seats.

Referring to 'Raisumari', undertaken by the Organizational Secretary of Central BJP Ramlal in the month of June to obtain the view of party workers about candidates was as an indication that the Central BJP would hardly party workers regarding candidates that the central high command of the party would hardly keep JD (U) in good humour.