by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Verdict exposes Chinks in BJP armoury
Uncertainty in Haryana, Sena Flexes muscles in Maharashtra
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Oct 24
The BJP's win with a slander margin in Maharashtra and hung house in Haryana has thrown the leadership into a tizzy. The party's parliamentary board went into a huddle to find out what went wrong particularly in Haryana where eight top ministers were trounced and party failed to win a majority on its own. Though BJP president Amit Shah congratulated the people of Maharashtra for the victory, he also thanked the people of Haryana for making BJP the single largest party. But the verdict has exposed chinks in the BJP's armoury and would have to undertake a thorough review as to what went wrong.
Many in the BJP leadership believe but for the Article 370, second surgical strike two days before the polls and the Prime Minister's addressing 16 rallies in two states, the results could have been more unpalatable for the BJP. It is clear that the economic slowdown, rising unemployment, banking crisis and denial mode of the BJP were some of the reasons for poor showing at the hustings.
Despite the win in Maharashtra, the BJP is not sure which way Shiv Sena will behave as it has the winning card. The Shiv Sena has projected Aditya Thackeray as its chief ministerial face and now with the BJP depending on Sena to form the next government, hard bargaining will begin. The Congress leadership under Sonia Gandhi is reported to have asked NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to take a decision in the best interest of the UPA. No one is sure what the NCP-Congress combine will do to stop the BJP from coming to power.
In Haryana too, the picture is hazy despite BJP hovering around 40 seats mark in the Assembly of 90. The Congress leadership under Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Selja succeeded in garnering only 30 seats only. But its the JJP of Dushyant Chautala and ten others who hold the key. While one INLD MLA and a few Independents who are BJP rebels may also support the BJP, no one is sure which way the Aaya Ram Gaya Ram state will behave. Dushyant Chautala (JJP) who holds the key with 10 MLA, is in Delhi to hold parleys. No one sure whether he will go with the BJP or Congress.
Ends
