Tie-up with AGP bleak; BJP seat-sharing exercise begins

NEW DELHI, March 6: The possibility of a BJP-AGP pre-poll tie-up in Assam appears bleak, with the central leadership of the national party likely to give in to the demand of its State unit and may instead go for alliance with area-specific smaller regional parties. The party's central leadership today began the crucial exercise of finalising its poll strategy and seat-sharing arrangements in the four States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam, besides the Union Territory of Pondicherry by holding detailed deliberations with the State unit leadership of the concerned States. The poll strategy of the party for Assam and West Bengal would be taken up tomorrow, even as the BJP Assam State executive members began arriving today. The suspense over BJP's alliance plans in Assam seems all but over, with the views of the State leadership likely to prevail. But contrary to the belief, the State unit is not unanimous against having poll alliance with the ruling AGP. A central leader of the party told this newspaper that they have been receiving suggestions from the partymen in Assam to go for an alliance with the ruling AGP, though such chances appear remote with the national president, Bangaru Laxman, ruling out any alliance. Former Union Minister of State and State leader, Kabindra Purkayastha said, "Our poll strategy has been spelled out by our national president, who has ruled out any alliance with the ruling AGP. We are planning to have alliance with smaller regional parties," he confirmed. Recently, in a confidential note to the BJP central party leadership, the Assam BJP president, Rajen Gohain, MP, pointed out that following a detailed discussion within the party at the State and central party level, a consensus has emerged that any move towards an alliance with the AGP would only go towards keeping the afloat the sinking boat of the AGP helping the Congress to come to power. The focus instead would now be on the smaller regional parties. While the BJP is almost certain to continue with its poll understanding with the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU)-sponsored faction in the BAC, in Karbi Anglong and NC Hills it is looking for a tie-up with Holiram Terang's faction of the ASDC. Waiting in wing is Atul Bora's Trinamool Gana Parishad. The party is of the view that no alliance should be formed with any major political party in the State. Rather, specific area-based alliances or understanding with political and non-political groups should be entered into so that gaps in the party's organisational structure can be covered in these targeted areas, said another top leader of the State BJP unit. The biggest handicap for the party is absence of any high-profile leaders in the State and due to this the party has not been able to project anyone as a Chief Ministerial candidate. The central leadership has so far been down playing the issue though in private they concede that it is one of their major drawbacks. Meanwhile, party sources said they plan to contest all the seats in Upper Assam, Barak Valley and a few seats in Lower Assam, leaving the rest for its smaller alliance partners and minor seat adjustments. According to party's poll analysis, a broad-based understanding with the ABSU and Koch Rajbongshi in Lower Assam coupled with the BJP's traditional vote bank is expected to yield at least 25 seats. Similarly, the BJP State president claimed that an understanding with the tea tribe student being would help to break into the Congress party's tea vote bank and the party may expect to win at least 25 seats. In the Barak Valley, the party expects to win another nine seats, besides couple of other seats from its understanding with smaller regional parties.