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THE NATION: NDA
Uncertain BJP Fails To Issue Whip
On
May 6, 18 MLAs of the MSCP (Nipamacha faction) broke away to form the
Progressive MSCP. A week later, they merged with the BJP. With two Federal
Party members also joining in the fun, the BJP suddenly reached 26-MLA
status. Its legislative leader R.K. Dorendra Singh-himself a former Congress
chief minister-now wanted to become chief minister. Koijam soon faced
a confidence test and was predictably voted out. BJP leaders in Delhi
made a perfunctory gesture of issuing a whip, asking party MLAs to save
the government, but didn't try too hard "because we weren't sure
we could implement the whip".
In a fit of post facto morality, a BJP office-bearer
now says, "When the Samata overthrew Nipamacha, they too destabilised
an NDA friend. So how can they blame us?" On its part, the Samata
says, "It is one thing to split the Congress as we did, another to
break an ally." The proxy war between what one Union minister calls
"a bogus Samata and a bogus BJP" is reaching ludicrous proportions.
It can end in another grotesque coalition; it should end in President's
rule.
In a city of conspiracies, nobody takes anything
at face value. Political circles in Delhi are quick to attribute motives
to the Samata's indignation. First, there is a cabinet reshuffle in the
offing (see box) and the Samata wouldn't mind adding to its tally of three
ministers. Raghunath Jha and Jai Narain Nishad are hoping to get the prime
minister's call and there's no harm playing hardball.
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IN THROUGH THE
OUT DOOR
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A "hesitant" BJP had agreed to
support Koijam (right) in replacing Nipamacha after "insistence"
by the top Samata leadership.
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The Samata, sources say, is also short of money
for day-to-day expenses and the Manipur unit was resourceful in these
matters. A Bihar MP jokes about the merits of "Manipur's franchise
system of politics" and the synergy between politicians, extremist
groups and drug syndicates. All this has Jaitly livid, "Our chief
minister is unfairly accused of underworld links. He was promised Rs 200
crore as a grant but eventually sanctioned Rs 100 crore as loan. Even
this was obstructed."
The upshot, the Samata leader says, was that
"salaries were delayed and the police went on strike". A "law
and order problem occurred for which the BJP blamed Koijam". Home
Ministry sources say the money was contingent upon Koijam whittling down
the administration and carrying out certain reforms, "which he did
not do". Also embarrassing for Koijam is the fact that the daughter
of the man who was his original intermediary with the Samata was arrested
at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport a few weeks ago on charges
of drug-running. She is now in Tihar Jail.
The final reason for the Samata's disgruntlement
is perceived neglect of its best-known leader. The buzz in the party office
in the recent days has been, "George saab ki bezati ho rahi hai (George
saab has been insulted)." A Samata minister argues, "If he had
still been in the Government, this (the Manipur 'betrayal') would not
have happened."
Fernandes stands by his commitment that he won't
come back to the Government unless cleared by the Venkataswami Commission
that is investigating the Tehelka.com scandal. There is a feeling in some
sections that the Jayalalitha example has changed everything: "If
a convicted person can become chief minister, why should we be on the
defensive about a person who has not even been chargesheeted?"
On Monday, May 21, Fernandes missed a meeting
of the NDA, of which he is the convener, for an emergency Samata session
on Manipur. Jaitly, his confidante, brushes this aside saying the "convener's
role is only clerical, limited to sending out letters". A BJP leader
sees matters a little differently, "It is a hint that the NDA convener
should be involved in policy-making. In the days of the United Front,
the steering committee was more important than the Cabinet." After
resigning, Fernandes has addressed a dozen NDA rallies but is now "out
of the loop of the Government".
Where do these subterranean games leave humble
Mr Koijam? Manipur will know his future by the end of May. Before that-afterwards
too-the Samata and BJP, allies since 1995, have a few knots to straighten
out.
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