Kochi, Jan 2: There was no question of compromising on the Bharatiya Janata Party's declared stand on building the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Article 370 of the Constitution and Common Civil Code, party's senior leader O Rajagopal, MP, said here on Wednesday.Speaking at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Ernakulam Press Club, he said that these would be stated clearly in the BJP manifesto.
Rajagopal, who is the BJP deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha and a member of the party's Central Parliamentary Board, feels Sonia Gandhi's decision to campaign for the Congress would only help the BJP. As a result, he expects the Tamil Maanila Congress to part company with the United Front and internal squabbles in the Congress to worsen with the anti-Kesri group gaining strength. ``So, we have no anxiety over this matter. We are only happy,'' he maintained.
The thinking that Sonia's entry could help prevent further exodus of Congress leaders into the BJP was also wrong, Rajagopal said, citing former Bihar chief
minister Bhagwat Jha Azad joining the BJP yesterday. ``We have only sympathy for those Congressmen who dream of their party coming to power. We have full belief that a BJP Government, headed by Vajpayee, would come,'' he claimed.
Referring to CPM General Secretary Surjeet's latest stand that his party would even help the Congress to prevent the BJP coming to power, Rajagopal said that the Congress and the CPM should think of fielding ``common candidates'' in Kerala.
Rajagopal justified the BJP's alliance with Jayalalitha's AIADMK in Tamil Nadu notwithstanding the party's stand against corruption. ``Allegations against her are yet to be proved. The trial is on. But, if she is found guilty, we would not shield her,'' he maintained.
BJP President L K Advani will be meeting Jayalalitha on Friday. He is attending the silver jubilee meeting of the AIADMK. The central election committee of the BJP, meeting in Delhi on January 11, will be discussing the seat arrangements in Tamil Nadu.
With regard to Kerala,
the party's State election committee is to meet on January 8 at Aluva. Rajagopal, who said that the BJP has hopes on two Lok Sabha seats in the state, refused to name them. He categorically ruled out any chance of the BJP having an understanding with the Congress in Kerala to defeat the Left Democratic Front. Rajagopal has accused the Kerala Government of playing with fire in the Sivagiri issue. ``If anything happens to Swami Prakasananda, the Government would be responsible,'' he warned.According to him, sanyasins were being ``insulted and challenged by the Nayanar Government'' as ``asuras'' did in the puranas.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
