BJP open to post-poll alliance in Haryana

Predicting a hung assembly in Haryana after the October 13 polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday did not rule out a post-poll alliance in the state to keep Congress out of power.

"We want formation of a non-Congress government controlled by BJP," party chief Rajnath Singh told mediapersons in Chandigarh before embarking on electioneering in the state.

Haryana is witnessing a multi-cornered contest with the Congress, the BJP, the Indian National Lok Dal, the Haryana Janhit Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party contesting all the 90 seats.

Accusing the Congress-led Bhupinder Singh Hooda government of failing on all fronts, he said, "BJP will make all efforts to thwart the Congress from forming the government."

To a question, he said the BJP was not upset over Akali Dal supporting INLD in two seats. Akali Dal had informed BJP about extending support to INLD well in advance, he said.

Akali Dal is a National Democratic Alliance ally of BJP, which had recently parted ways with INLD in Haryana following dispute over seat sharing.

He, however, parried questions on breaking of the alliance and on INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala's remark that had senior BJP leader L K Advani taken retirement from politics two years ago, it would have helped both BJP and INLD.

Singh cautioned the Centre against cutting down of the strength of armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir saying that surrendered Talibans at the behest of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence were making efforts to infiltrate into the country.

"The infiltration is still taking place," he said. Pointing out that the Centre had withdrawn 900 Border Security Force jawans from Poonch and Rajouri districts, he asked the Centre not to take the risk of decreasing the strength of armed forces.

On the tripling of United States' aid to Pakistan, Singh said, "If both India and US are strategic partners after the nuclear deal then the government must act to get the assistance stopped."

He said appointment of an envoy by the Organisation of Islamic Countries to monitor Jammu and Kashmir situation without the consent of India reflected the 'weakness' of the government.

"The OIC has been advocating the issue of Jammu and Kashmir should be settled and appointed its envoy without India's consent, which the BJP condemns," he said.

The Centre should understand the 'conspiracy' hatched by Pakistan, at whose behest OIC is working out to make Jammu and Kashmir an international issue, he said.

Singh accused the government of 'arm twisting' the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Bofors payoff case against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi saying Congress was trying to save him.

"If there are no evidences against Quattrocchi why was the issue kept pending for so long," he asked, adding, "the government did arm twisting of the CBI."

He said though NDA, when in power, got a case registered against Quattrocchi on the basis of evidences with the CBI, "the same CBI is now saying it has no evidences."

On the issue of price rise, he said the country was facing the danger of hyper-inflation and demanded an integrated action plan to tackle the problem.

He said the United Progressive Alliance has 'miserably failed' to honour its commitment of containing inflation in its first 100 days in office.

"This promise of UPA has turned out to be hollow," Rajnath said.

He said the Sutlej Yamuna Link, a bone of contention between Haryana and Punjab, must be constructed and Haryana should get its share of water from Punjab.

Image: BJP President Rajnath Singh