The BJP-led alliance wants to get the AIADMK, BJD, AGP, TDP and TRS to agree to a common name.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance wants to reach out to a large number of smaller, regional parties and take their views into account before deciding on its nominee for the Presidential polls. Top BJP sources said their basic objective is to spread the net as far as possible and get the AIADMK, BJD, AGP, TDP and the TRS to agree to a common name. If possible, the party is willing to accommodate even a Left choice provided the name appealed to everybody else. Only by going along with a united opposition, the BJP could hope to embarrass the Congress.
In fact, the BJP is open to compromise to such an extent that the party is willing not to impose any name of its choice. “We are only too ready to leave the choice to other parties,” a senior leader said. The party has seriously treated an NCP proposal to consider the nomination of Purno Sangma. Indeed, the BJP has been flattered that a suggestion of this nature has come from the Congress’ close ally. Of course, the party is yet to elicit the opinion of its allies on Sangma’s possible candidature.
“We tried taking everybody on board with the nomination on President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2002. Even the Congress came on board,” the leader said. According to him, if the Congress could conceive of such a universally acceptable name, the BJP won’t hesitate to extend its support to the ruling dispensation, provided these smaller regional parties are agreeable.
It seems the BJP is desperate to reach out to J Jayalalithaa (AIADMK) and Naveen Patnaik (BJD). Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has been in touch with the Tamil Nadu CM for a while. Even the party’s Rajya Sabha leader Arun Jaitley has established contact both with Jayalalithaa and Patnaik. Bihar chief minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar has also been connecting with leaders of several “secular” and regional parties.
The BJP wants to use this opportunity for alliance-building, if possible. That is why the party is desperate to link itself with the hitherto unaligned TDP and TRS in the chaotic politics of post-YSR Andhra Pradesh politics.
For the Congress, getting Mulayam Singh Yadav’s (SP) and Mamata Banerjee’s (TMC) consent is extremely important. Similarly, the BJP will not put up a nominee who doesn’t have the backing of both Jayalalithaa and Patnaik. This is the minimum consensus the NDA hopes to fulfill as it aspires to reach out to more probable allies in the run-up to the 2014 polls.
As expected, the BJP is hardly enthusiastic about the Congress’ first choice - Vice President Hamid Ansari. The party is aware that even if the Left and Mulayam give their nod, the Congress may find it hard to convince Mamata, who is allergic to any name the Left suggests. The BJP has said nothing till now and wants the Congress to make its preferences public before it gives any opinion.
In the unlikely scenario of Pranab Mukherjee being allowed to contest the polls by the Congress, the BJP will still consult its allies before making up its mind on whether or not to put up a nominee. There is a small section of leaders in the BJP who are impressed by Mukherjee’s experience in governance but the final decision will depend on what stand the Tamil Nadu and Orissa CMs take on the matter.
As another senior BJP leader pointed out, the Presidential polls will be about the BJP showing the world how it is a friendlier party than the Congress when it comes to consensus-building.
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