NDA bid to shore up alliance

Anticipating more pressure from a buoyant Congress after the Assembly elections in five states, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managers have set out on a hunt for MPs to consolidate the alliance position further in the Lok Sabha.

An independent MP from Purnia in Bihar state, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who is otherwise known for the criminal cases pending against him, is assisting the NDA in its task. Yadav recently formed Democratic Parliamentary Forum (DPF) with eight other MPs to enlist more support for the ruling alliance. The MPs are either independents or run one-man parties.

The NDA managers have already convinced six of the DPF to vote for the ruling alliance in its hour of crisis and are working on the others. The MPs who want to keep off the BJP-led coalition are Prakash Ambedkar, Dr Jayanat Rongpi and Simeranjit Singh Mann.

Besides, Yadav is helping the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led coalition in luring more RJD MPs into its fold. RJD (Democratic), the party carved out of the RJD, already has three Lok Sabha MPs – Nagmani, Sukdeo Paswan and Anwarul Haque.

Speaking to Gulf News at his residence in South Delhi, Nagmani categorically said that his party would join the NDA at the Centre. "It is but natural that we will join the alliance at the Centre. Why wouldn't we support them when they (the NDA constituents) are ready to support us in Bihar?" he asked.

Nagmani claimed that two more MPs of the RJD had agreed to join the RJD (Democratic) but refused to disclose their names. The RJD (Democratic) and the DPF leaders expect a couple of Cabinet portfolios in lieu of their support to the NDA.

Nagmani is said to be in line for a Cabinet portfolio. However, he would only say that the names would be decided by his leader Ranjan Prasad Yadav. Pappu Yadav said that the decision was the prerogative of the prime minister. "We'll give stability to the Government. The PM has to decide who will become a minister," he told the Gulf News.

The RJD (Democratic) leaders have already held discussions with the prime minister , Civil Aviation Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and Home Minister Lal Krishan Advani on the modalities of their entry into the NDA. The party leaders had another meeting with the home minister in this regard yesterday.

Apart from the DFM and the RJD (Democratic), the NDA is trying to bring Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) under its umbrella. Singh has held several rounds of talks with Advani, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh and minister Kalraj Mishra.

The RJD whose presence is confined to Western Uttar Pradesh has two MPs in Lok Sabha. Moreover, it also has 13 MLAs in the State Assembly. This means the party can provide a semblance of security to Rajnath Singh's precarious coalition, too.

RJD General Secretary Ramesh Chandra confirmed to the Gulf News that his party was about to join the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance at the centre. Ajit Singh will most probably be rewarded with a cabinet post after the RJD joins the NDA.