BJP to play ‘constructive’ opposition, wait for JDS-Cong ''imminent fall''

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 22

As the Congress and JDS take first careful steps in Karnataka, the BJP has chosen to play a “constructive” opposition while patiently waiting for the “imminent” downfall.

That an ambitious political overkill is bringing together strange bedfellows, first in Uttar Pradesh and now in Karnataka, the party must have realised over the way the JDS and the Congress defeated it at its own game.

While in UP, arch rivals Samajwadi Party and the BSP came together to corner the BJP (in Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Kairana), in Karnataka the Congress and the JDS, parties which were at each other’s throats during campaigning, came together to pin it to the mat.

With this being the likely scenario in the days to come, the BJP is unlikely to rock the JDS-Congress boat and wait for it to capsize under its own pressures.

As chief Amit Shah on Monday defended the BJP’s decision to stake claim on the basis of being the single largest party, senior leaders, who did not wish to be identified, claim the party also chose to do so because the cadres expected them to.

“We could not have let down the cadres who supported our fight in Karnataka. It would have sent a wrong message to the other poll-bound states,” say the leaders.

However, the very decision also firmed up the determination of the other side, which then went all out to defend its turf. “If they (Congress-JDS) had been allowed to form the government first, their downfall would have been faster. Now we will have to wait,” they say.

Meanwhile, as they patiently wait for the “differences” to crop up in the new alliance, the BJP will play a constructive opposition. This was indicated by Shah when asked about the fate of the JDS-Congress government.

He said the BJP would play the role of a constructive opposition and respond to any changed political situation when it arose.

Regarding the future of the alliance, Shah said he was no astrologer but it was evident that the alliance was already “destabilised” given the way it was guarding its MLAs in resorts and hotels.