Team nda

Team nda

Fielding JD(U) gives BJP a Rajya Sabha victory to cherish and a new way to handle allies.

Credit goes to BJP for ensuring a comfortable victory for NDA candidate Harivansh in the Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson election. By offering the post to JD(U) which has just six MPs against its own strength of 73, BJP effectively won over the fence sitters in the 244-member house or secured their abstention. The 125-105 victory was made possible by “neutral” parties like BJD, AIADMK and TRS voting for NDA and opposition parties like AAP, YSRCP and PDP choosing to abstain rather than support a Congress candidate.

A BJP candidate in the fray would have forced a close contest with BJD, AAP, YSRCP or PDP unlikely to be so generous to the government given local dynamics in their respective bastions. In contrast, the JD(U) candidate eased the political contradictions for these parties. Even allies like Shiv Sena and Akali Dal, the latter reportedly cut up over not securing the candidature, could not ignore the concession made to a fellow NDA partner. But the allies are certain to ask for more if Akali Dal leader Naresh Gujral’s warning to BJP to treat allies fairly in 2019 seat sharing talks is an indicator.

While the opposition may be relieved at crossing the 100 mark with Congress, SP, Trinamool Congress, TDP, RJD, CPM, BSP and NCP sticking together, the contradictions were also visible. The presence of Congress makes it difficult for parties like BJD, TRS and YSRCP to make common cause with opposition unity efforts. But without Congress’s national footprint the regional parties lack the critical mass to be seen as a credible counter to BJP’s dominance.

Thus, incipient opposition unity efforts still have considerable distance to traverse. But Thursday’s election will see alliance talks gain further momentum. With 2019 unlikely to be a “wave” election as 2014 was, BJP is seeking to keep allies in good humour and may even woo neutral parties to the NDA fold. Recall how BJP did not deem JD(U) fit for a Union cabinet berth when the latter re-entered NDA last year. Both Naveen Patnaik and K Chandrashekar Rao may now fancy their prospects as potential kingmakers. Coalition politics is not something that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will relish. But in decisively reaching out to both leaders this week, BJP has shown that realpolitik comes first.