It is wooing time. And they seem to be the two most sought-after spinsters of the Indian political firmament.
NEW DELHI: It is wooing time. And they seem to be the two most sought-after spinsters of the Indian political firmament. After CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat called on BSP chief Mayawati last Sunday to discuss a future alliance and joint strategy to defeat the UPA government on July 22, he is working on AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa.
Even though her party does not have any members in the Lok Sabha, the CPI(M) leader has sent feelers through an emissary to Jayalalithaa for a future alliance in Tamil Nadu. Party sources said Karat has sounded M Karunanidhi that the party would find it difficult to continue its tie-up with the DMK after its decision to support the nuclear deal and vote with the government.
Parties like Telengana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have gone to the extent of even offering prime ministership to Mayawati in the event of a Third Front forming the next government. While the Left and United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) are wooing Mayawati and Jayalithaa, the BJP is also sending them feelers to back the NDA.
UNPA convenor Chandrababu Naidu, Mayawati, TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao are holding their first political meeting to fine-tune the strategy on trust vote. Karat is expected to join them.
Sources said both Karat and the TDP are keen to rope in Mayawati into the UNPA so that she does not stray to the saffron camp after the general elections. A senior TDP source said the UNPA could project the BSP chief as their prime ministerial candidate to consolidate dalit and Muslim votes across the country. They believe Maya may not be averse to the idea as the UNPA gives her a “national platform” to take on her political adversaries.
BSP sources, however, said Mayawati has not yet taken a decision on joining the UNPA. A party source hinted she may not like to align with a particular group as it would limit room for post-poll pacts.
ADMK sources said Jayalalithaa may also keep the BJP and Congress option open and hence may not be inclined to join hands with the Marxists. But Karat is making efforts.
Sounding confident of an alliance with ADMK, a CPI(M) leader said: “We have two Lok Sabha MPs and nine MLAs in the assembly. We have 2000 to 5000 votes in each constituency. The ADMK could benefit from an alliance with us.”
Meanwhile, the TRS chief spoke to Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh. RLD, which has three MPs, is currently being wooed by the Congress for the trust vote. Sources close to Rao said he would meet Singh in Delhi on Sunday.
k_benedict@dnaindia.net
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