Prez poll: Divided NDA defers decision
The NDA on Sunday failed to firm up a position on the Presidential
poll as it was divided over opposing UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee and
there was lack of clarity on extending support to P A Sangma. With an
intention of using the Presidential poll to rope in parties like AIADMK
and BJD and possibly Trinamool Congress, the main opposition BJP-led
alliance decided at a meeting in New Delhi that talks would be held with
these parties to have a common candidate against Mukherjee. At a
two-hour meeting of the NDA which was skipped by Shiv Sena, JD-U leader
Shivanand Tiwari is believed to disfavoured a contest against Mukherjee
because of his stature, reflecting a divide in the coalition. BJP
leaders L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj were said to be of the opinion that
there should be a contest but there was no consensus as to whether to
support Sangma, who has been propped up by AIADMK and BJD, or Kalam, who
is being pushed into the race by Trinamool Congress. There was a
strong view that supporting Sangma would help NDA win back AIADMK and
BJD. However, to finetune this, talks should be held with leaders of
these parties before any decision is reached, sources said. The NDA
coalition was also not clear whether Trinamool Congress leader Mamata
Banerjee would agree to shunning Kalam and supporting Sangma. After the
meeting at BJP leader L K Advani's residence, NDA convener Sharad Yadav
told reporters, "Various leaders put forth their views in detail. More
discussions are required in this regard to arrive at the right
decision." "L K Advani will talk to Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states
and all others. NDA will meet sometime later again to take a decision
in this regard. Those outside (Delhi) will also be consulted." JD-U
chief and NDA Convenor Sharad Yadav did make the point against
contesting Mukherjee but he was not averse to going with the BJP should
it persist with a fight in the Presidential election. However, Tiwari,
the other JD-U leader considered close to Bihar chief minister Nitish
Kumar, strongly opposed a contest. This is seen as an attempt by Nitish
Kumar to keep his options open. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
Mukherjee had called Kumar on Friday seeking JD-U's support for the UPA
candidate. Tiwari, whose party JD-U shares power with BJP in Bihar,
was clear that no strong purpose would be served by contesting against
Mukherjee, a tall leader with vast experience in government and
Parliament, and more so when the UPA has a clear edge in the electoral
college. However, Advani and Swaraj are understood to have argued
that Mukherjee should not go uncontested, especially in view of the Lok
Sabha polls due two years hence. The BJP is said to be keen on
supporting Sangma so that the alliance could rope in parties like BJD
and AIADMK that could be valuable in the next Lok Sabha elections.
Sources in NDA said that a decision will be taken with the objective of
strengthening the NDA coalition. They said that while wider
consultations will be held with all the Chief Ministers of NDA, informal
talks will be held with BJD leader and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen
Patnaik, AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and
Mamata, whose role has become very important in the Presidential
elections. "The objective is to ensure that NDA gets more strength
before the 2014 lok sabha polls," a source said. The NDA is closely
watching the evolving situation with respect to Sangma as to whether he
will remain in the fray. The NDA sources said there would be no
point in announcing support for Sangma unless it was certain that he
would continue to be in the race. Sangma, on his part, cleared any
doubts by underlining that he continues to be in the race and that he
had talked to Mamata also to get her support. "I appealed to her to
support my candidature. She was insisting on Dr Kalam. I said Dr Kalam
had opted out of the race, therefore, you should support (me)," he
said. BJP leaders felt Advani should stay in touch with Jayalalithaa
and Patnaik. Shiv Sena, the oldest ideological ally of the BJP,
skipped the key meeting of alliance leaders here, triggering speculation
that the party was opposed to a fight due to lack of numbers. "Shiv
Sena chief Bal Thackerey will take a decision on the issue," said party
leader Sanjay Raut, when asked about speculation that the Sena was
against fielding any candidate against Pranab Mukherjee, UPAs
Presidential nominee. Shiv Sena had not backed former Vice President
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the Presidential poll last time despite BJP
and several others in the alliance supporting him. At that time, it had
backed Pratibha Patil--she being the first Maharashtrian to be
nominated for the top post of Presiden
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