Hectic parleys between AGP, BJP continue

NEW DELHI, April 1: The BJP state unit's proposal to go for a seat understanding rather than a formal poll alliance with the ruling AGP has found few takers in the regional party, as hectic parleys between the two continued here today for the third day. Even as AGP's executive body meeting at Guwahati debated the option of joining forces with the BJP, the representatives of the two parties here were engaged in a series of discussions to clinch the seat-sharing arrangement. The BJP team included the State unit president, Rajen Gohain, Minister of State for Water Resources, Bijoya Chakraborty, former minister, Kabindra Purkayastha, while the AGP's team of negotiators included State Agriculture Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary and former MP Keshab Mahanta. The discussions that concluded late last night resumed here this evening, with the two sides trying to work out a seat-sharing formula, considered very crucial, for on it hinges the fate of the entire alliance proposal. But informed sources told this newspaper that with the top central leadership of the BJP putting their weight behind the move, some arrangement was expected to be worked out shortly. The urgency appears to be on part of the AGP, which wanted to table the alliance proposal before the representative body meeting tomorrow, Sources said the BJP wanted the AGP to consider the proposal of having a seat understanding instead of forming a formal alliance, to ensure that its old alliance remained intact. The BJP proposed that in few crucial seats the two could enter into understanding not to field candidates to avoid splits in votes. The move considered by the BJP as a clever manoeuvre to keep both of their alliance partners intact, however, did not find favour with the regional party, which wanted to forge a formal alliance. The reason behind the BJP's proposal was seen to be a ploy to ensure that the anti-incumbency factors did not rub on them. Sources said, since the AGP did not show interest in the idea, it has more or less been settled that it would be an alliance between the two. Parties like the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) and the Holiram Terang's faction of the ASDC are the other likely partners. But both the sides are expected to drive hard bargains with both eyeing crucial seats in their respective areas of influence. The AGP is unlikely to press for many seats in the tea belts, though it may not be willing to sacrifice that many seats in lower Assam. A case in the point may be constituencies like the Guwahati (East), which the BJP wanted but AGP has a sitting MLA, who is a minister representing the seat. Meanwhile, sources said that the State unit has softened its stand on the issue of having alliance with the AGP, though the state unit chief continued to have reservations. However, the beleaguered president had to fall in line when two senior State leaders including Chakraborty and Purkayastha supported the proposal. Sources said Advani personally requested the State unit leadership to review their stand and try to work out an alliance with the AGP in view of the larger interest of keeping out the Congress party. Putting pressure on the BJP were the Bodo leadership, which went all out in support of the AGP and even talked to the BJP central leadership to persuade the State unit to forge an alliance, sources said. The alliance with the Bodo leadership is considered very crucial as they hold sway in about 10 to 15 seats and it would not have been a wise move to antagonise them, sources asserted. But more then the Bodo factor, it is the Tehelka impact that may have prompted the BJP to tie up with the regional party. Aware that its image has taken a severe beating it realised that anti-corruption slogans may not take them far. It was also the issue the State unit proposed to highlight in a big way, citing the LoC scam in which a few members of both the AGP and Congress members were involved. Besides, the need for defeating the Congress following the Tehelka fiasco outweighed every other priority for the BJP central leadership leading to change in perceptions.