NEW DELHI, Dec 2: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said it was expecting a split in the Congress and that MPs' burning desire to avoid elections would impel them towards a BJP-led Government. Despite the daunting task of mustering about 80 MPs to get a simple majority in the Lok Sabha, the BJP's managers are keeping up their efforts to woo MPs from other parties, mainly the Congress.

BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan, one of the party's main troubleshooters, predicted a ``coup'' and said the Congress would break at the last minute. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who pulled off a ``miracle'' in UP, are also camping in Delhi.

After Atal Behari Vajpayee, it was BJP spokesperson KL Sharma's turn today to extend an open invitation to Congress MPs. ``If MPs want to come to the BJP under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (engineer a one-third split), we will welcome them,'' he said. ``We are hoping that the urge (for survival) in most MPs will itself compel them to take some steps.''

On how the BJP would muster numbers even if the Congress did split, Sharma said once this happened, the remaining 30 MPs would come ``very easily''.

``They are in touch with us,'' he said at the party's daily briefing.

Questioned further, he said the breakaway Congress group would support the BJP and participate in the Government. Some would be made Ministers, he admitted, when asked if the BJP was planning a UP-type operation. Sharma did not rule out dissolution.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.