(Image source from: Jaya Jagan Patnaik bjp party})
Inspite of the highly favorable exit poll result in its favour, the BJP is not taking any chances to come to power in Delhi. Ahead of May 16, when the 2014 election results will be declared, the BJP is out wooing regional powers like Jayalalithaa, Naveen Patnaik, Jagan Reddy and K. Chandrashekar Rao.
The BJP seems to have taken up a project to isolate Congress and all other anti-BJP fronts from coming into formation.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the first man on BJP's list who needs to be brought within its alliance. Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had earlier been an ally of the NDA and could be wooed.
Naveen Patnaik has been neutral in this election, but there has been speculation that he could be a key element of the Third Front. The non-controversial Patnaik was also suggested as PM candidate by some leaders. However, the BJD skipped a Third Front meeting held in Delhi in February. This gives hope to the BJP that the BJD could be a possible ally.
The BJP has sent feelers to Patnaik and a post-poll understanding with the regional power could be worked out, according to the Economic Times.
A senior BJP leader reportedly said that Naveen Patnaik has not responded negatively to the feelers. The Odisha CM wants a senior BJP leader like Arun Jaitley to be represent the talks.
According to reports, the BJD may be offered two Cabinet berths to sweeten the deal.
The BJD on its part is not averse to providing conditional support to the NDA, in the interest of the country as well as of Odisha, according to the party's chief whip Pravat Tripathi.
BJD is expected to win 12 to 16 seats, as per exit polls.
Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa is seen as another possible ally by the NDA. Jayalalithaa's AIADMK is predicted to perform exceedingly well in her state. Although Jayalalithaa has claimed the Tamil Nadu model of development to be better while questioning the Gujarat model, the AIADMK may support the NDA.
Even the former NCP leader PA Sangma has been reached out by BJP leaders to boost the numbers from the North East, in favour of the NDA.
The BJP is also likely to reach out to parties like the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the YSR Congress as an ally or outside support to strengthen its chances of forming government.
According to the report, the RSS is the brain behind these larger allies. The RSS believes that a strategy involving isolation of the Congress would be useful to boost up its chances in Delhi. Besides, if the NDA comes to power such alliance would be useful while passing bills in the Rajya Sabha.
(Picture Source: authintmedia.com /cloudfront.net)
(AW: Pratima Tigga)
