RS dy chairperson’s election next BJP-Oppn battleground

TO DEFEAT THE NDA CANDIDATE, CONGRESS MAY CONSIDER GIVING UP ITS CLAIM TO THE POST AND BACKING A BJD NOMINEE

NEW DELHI: The Congress has reached out to the BijuJa nat aD al (BJD), its arch rival in Odisha, in a desperate bid to defeat the National Democratic Alliance’s candidate in the upcoming election to the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson.

The Congress may consider giving up its claim to the post and back a candidate from the BJD, Trina moo lC on gr es so ran yo th er party for the sake of maximising Opposition unity in the election, following the template it used successfully in Karnataka, two persons aware of the development said on condition of anonymity.

To stop the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from forming government in the southern state, the Congress gave away the Karnataka chief minister’ s post to smaller ally Janata Dal (Secular)’s HD Kumaraswamy.

The efforts to reach out to the BJD mark a significant shift in the Congress’ strategy to contain the BJP. Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, until recently, was seen as supportive of th eND A, backing several government bills and staying away from opposition protest sin Parliament. Even the BJP per- ceived it as a friendly party.

PJK uri en’ s term as the deputy chairman will end this month and an election is likely to be held when the House reassembles for the monsoon session likely in July.

BJD holds the key to the outcome of the poll with nine members in the Upper House. “There are three fence sitters -- BJD, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and YSR Congress Party. We don’t expect the two southern parties to side with us. But if the BJD comes along, we will breach the majority mark of 122,” said a senior Congress strategist, asking not to be identified.

TheBJP-ledNDAhas105MPs in the Rajya Sabha and six independent sand other members are expected to support it. Even if the N DA secures the votes of the T RS and YSRCP, the BJD alone can swing the vote in favour of the Opposition.

A senior B JD leader confirmed that plans area foot to field anonCongress candidate tom op up all Opposition votes .“The B JD can’ t support a Congress candidate but it may support a suitable nonCongress candidate,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Both sides pointed out that United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Patnaik have been friends for many years.

“R ah ult ooh as opened a channel for political communications with him ,” said a senior Congress leader, who asked not to be identified.

Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien also held a round of informal talks with BJD’s Bhartruhari Mahtab. According to BJD insiders, when Mahtab appraised Patnaik of the situation, the Odisha chief minister commented, “Let us see how the situation unfolds.”

The Trina moo l Congress, too, may try to field its nominee as a consensus candidate, a second BJD leader said on condition of anonymity.

“Patnaikwill decide only after the candidate’s name is announced. Remember, he didn’ t support Meira Kumar in the Presidential poll but backed Go pal Krishna Gandhi in the vice president’s election.”