BJP discovers family value in poll season

NEW DELHI: In these uncertain times, are astute political families hedging their bets? The talk of families betting on both sides — BJP and Congress — was furious today, when diehard Gandhi family loyalist Arjun Singh’s son Ajeya met with BJP brass, including L K Advani and M Venkaiah Naidu.
In no time, the political grapevine was buzzing about Ajeya switching loyalty.The speculation itself would be enough to demoralise an already depressed Congress in Madhya Pradesh. The rumours could be off the mark as Ajeya stoutly denied possible infidelity to Congress, but his meeting with BJP leaders still remains unexplained.
Only last week, MP Congress lost Digvijay Singh’s younger brother Laxman Singh to BJP. In fact, Madhya Pradesh pioneered the trend of playing both sides when Madhavrao Scindia switched over to Congress after mother Vijayaraje Scindia was put behind bars during Emergency.
Is it now the other way round? Senior Congress leader in Karnataka, S Bangarappa, too now has a foot in BJP, even as his son, Kumar, is a minister in the Congress state government. The ex-CM has already announced his desire to go saffron and is expected to get into a public clinch after Holi.
On Monday, Karnataka saw BJP appear to be getting new recruits from non-Congress rivals as well. R K Hegde’s kin, Gopal Hegde, met BJP leaders and the news is he’s on his way to joining the party.
Closer to Delhi, Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala’s younger brother Ranjit Singh marched into the BJP amid fanfare. This doesn’t seem to be a case of the family hedging its bets because sibling rivalry here is really strong and Ranjit had to find another home. For BJP, though, he has provided a long-awaited Jat face in Haryana.
Finally, the split of all splits — BJP’s coup de grace in poaching two members of the Dynasty, Sonia Gandhi’s sister-in-law Maneka and nephew, Feroze Varun.