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THE NATION: BJP-SENA
BJP Says No To Apology
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"There
should be an inquiry into who in the PMO spoke to the UTI chief."
S. Nirupam, Sena MP
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Naturally,
the BJP did not see it quite as an apology. Vajpayee refused to meet Sena
ministers Suresh Prabhu and Manohar Joshi who accompanied by Nirupam and
his apology letter. For the BJP Maharashtra unit, this refusal was an
opportunity to break away. "How long can we put up with sermons on
corruption and dynastic rule from the likes of Thackeray?" asks an
exasperated party leader and adds rather gleefully, "We used to complain
to Advaniji and Atalji in vain. Now that they have got a taste of the
Sena medicine, they are willing to see our point."
The numbers justify their hopes. If the BJP
were to jettison the Sena, the coalition will still hold at the Centre.
After the return of the five-member PMK, the NDA has a strength of 296
MPs when the majority mark is 272. If the Sena were to walk out of the
alliance, chances of roping in the eight-member NCP would brighten. Besides,
the Trinamool Congress with its eight members is waiting in the wings.
They can take the NDA strength to 297. It is this confidence that is prompting
the Maharashtra BJP leadership to force the Centre towards the kill. The
push might yet come to shove. Vajpayee has not bothered to react to Nirupam's
apology. Worse, Malhotra now maintains, "We don't want an apology
but a sense of regret among the Sena leaders."
Acutely aware of the coalition dynamics, Thackeray
reiterated that the mafinama (apology letter) is adequate "expression
of regret. We respect, admire and love Vajpayee, so if he is hurt we have
apologised". Perhaps the Sena chief genuinely believes in his prophecy
of a civil war if this Government falls and has, therefore, backed down.
The alternate view is that Thackeray knows he needs the NDA to combat
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal's belligerence. The
truth lies somewhere in between. The tiger is playing for time.
Thackeray is willing to wager that the NCP cadre
may not cotton on to a truck with the BJP-after all it was this allergy
that germinated into the Congress-NCP Government. Besides, the NCP cadre
is worried that any ties with the BJP could result in the Congress riding
to power with the potent Dalit-Muslim vote bank. Those close to Thackeray
believe that if the BJP does dump the Sena, it could well claim martyrdom
for a public cause.
The choice for the BJP is not half as easy.
Its cadre in Maharashtra, however, is hopeful. A former state minister
is cautiously optimistic, "We have beaten the Sena in local polls
and can hold our own. We only hope the central leadership will act and
not baulk like Arjun on the battlefield." Their suggestion: dump
the Sena at the next reshuffle and induct NCP strongman Sharad Pawar as
defence minister. The Congress-NCP Government in Maharashtra would collapse
and assembly polls could be held along with Uttar Pradesh. The Sena will
be marginalised and the NCP-BJP alliance could romp home. Wishful thinking?
Perhaps, but as Malhotra points out, "Thackeray and Mahajan are not
talking and there is little hope of the dispute being settled." They
might begin talking and make up.
One thing is certain though. The outcome of
the current spat will not depend on acrimony but on political expediency.
—With Sharad Gupta
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METRO TODAY
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