The ghost of Ayodhya has once again tripped BJP’s hope to expand the NDA fold by roping in former alliance partners after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat dropped enough hints that the Sangh Parivar may toughen its stand on the disputed land issue. Former NDA partners including AIADMK, BJD, INLD, who had shown their willingness to JD(U) chief and NDA convenor Sharad Yadav of sharing the NDA platform to protest against UPA on corruption issue, have now backed out after the RSS chief’s
statement on the controversial issue. It was learnt Ms Yadav too, is miffed with Mr Bhagwat’s statement. The RSS chief, who had welcomed the Ayodhya title suit verdict, on Sunday said that division of land cannot be the solution.
Meanwhile, the NDA would be announcing its schedule of nation-wide protest rallies on corruption issue on December 14. One such rallies, is scheduled for December 22 in the national capital. Sources said BJD chief Naveen Patnaik called Mr Yadav to express his party’s reluctance to join the NDA rally.
Sources said Mr Yadav, who is miffed after this development, told BJP that it should first clarify the issue with the RSS. Mr Yadav, it was learnt, also questioned BJP as to why the RSS chief made such a controversial statement, it had itself welcomed the Allahabad high court’s decision on Ayodhya title suit.
Even the BJP top brass, it was learnt, is unhappy with Mr Bhagwat’s statement, especially at a time when the party was hopeful that the corruption issue would bring back its former alliance partners.
Alleging that it was the government’s “arrogance and adamance” over the JPC issue that caused Parliament logjam, the main Opposition BJP on Monday said it will take the corruption issue before the people. On the corruption issue, the party also criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for being “into administrative governance and not political governance” as “expected” from a PM. The NDA also staged a protest on the corruption issue inside the Parliament premises demanding JPC into scams including 2G spectrum allocation.
When asked to comment on the Winter Session which barely functioned, NDA working chairman L.K. Advani said: “Sometimes, business not proceeding also yields results.”