Samata Party’s poll plan could assist the BJP

RAJKOT: The Samata Party, which has a negligible base in Saurashtra, could be waging a proxy war for the BJP by announcing that it could contest nearly 39 out of the total of 58 seats in the region. The decision, together with the fact that the party has just organised its national convention in the city where it hardly has any base, is raising eyebrows in political circles here.
There is speculation here that even though the Samata leadership realises that it cannot hope to bag any seats, it is perhaps interested in doing a good turn to the BJP, its dominant partner in the NDA government at the Centre.
Apart from Shiv Sena, the Samata Party led by George Fernandes, is the only NDA constituent which has been steadfast in its support for the Narendra Modi government even in the peak of the communal riots.
A senior BJP functionary said the Samata’s entry in the arena could have the consent of the BJP leadership in New Delhi which is wary of the motives of former chief minister Keshubhai Patel who still holds the key to the party’s prospects in Saurashtra.
Though the Samata Party has no base in Saurashtra, its candidates could upset the caste equations in constituencies through a careful selection of candidates belonging to communities whose votes could go otherwise to the Congress. The Samata leaders have also gone on record in Rajkot during their conclave that there were no plans to support the Congress in case of a hung assembly and the party was not interested in a pre-poll alliance with the BJP also.
Interestingly, that though the Samata hopes to contest 50 seats in the whole of Gujarat, out of a total of 182 seats, 39 of these seats are in Saurashtra alone which is believed to be the main battleground for the Congress and the BJP. It was here in Saurashtra that the BJP won 52 out of the total of 58 seats last time and estimates say that the number could slip considerably in the coming December 12 polls.
Though Samata Party leaders said the party was interested in extending its base, which was hitherto restricted only to Bihar, the party is also interested in propping up the BJP in the state because the Gujarat elections could have a bearing on national politics as well.
BJP leaders however said allowing the Samata a free hand in selection of its candidates could be tricky and efforts should be made to ensure that triangular contests damage only the Congress.