'Delayed' support letters rattle BJP
Rajesh Ramachandran in New Delhi
Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate Atal Bihari Vajpayee has put off his proposed meeting with President K R Narayanan, following non-receipt of support letters from the party's Tamil allies.
The allies, who have not sent their letters, are the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Pattali Makkal Katchi, the Janata Party and the Tamil Rajiv Congress.
Vajpayee was to submit documentary proof -- of the BJP enjoying majority support in Parliament -- to the President this evening. But sources in Rashtrapati Bhavan confirmed that he did not seek an appointment.
It is now learnt that the BJP leader would meet the President tomorrow, with the letters of support.
The delay in the arrival of the letters has sparked speculation in New Delhi, causing much embarrassment to the BJP.
The BJP's detractors assert that the Tamil allies are demanding their 'pound of flesh' -- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's dismissal as a quid pro quo for their support.
However, Kushabhau Thakre, the BJP's senior-most general secretary, told Rediff On The NeT, "Most of the documents have been faxed to us. But we prefer to have the originals. It is just a technical matter, otherwise everything is settled. All our pre-election allies from Tamil Nadu are with us."
Thakre's view was contradicted by another BJP general secretary, M Venkaiah Naidu, who said the four parties have not sent their letters.
He said the party had already secured letters of support from its other allies -- the Samata Party, the Lok Shakti, the Shiv Sena, the Haryana Vikas Party, the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Biju Janata Dal and the Trinamul Congress.
Meanwhile, efforts are on to convince Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu.
''Offer us written support or talk to the President over the phone, informing him of your decision to abstain during a trust vote,'' the BJP seems to have told Naidu.
"Even if Naidu does not come forward with such a verbal assurance, the President has no alternative but to call
the single largest party,'' says BJP vice-president Bangaru Laxman.
Additional reportage: UNI
Elections '98
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