Allies are in: Partners like Nitish Kumar, Fernandes and Badal lend credibilitySome of the hype over the new alliances could be exaggerated but they are of psychological importance: to show that the party now has a pan-Indian appeal.SHIV SENA: Maharashtra: Bal Thackeray; Candidates: 16This is a fairly equal partnership that has gone from strength to strength in the industrialised state of Maharashtra. The only fear is, has the alliance peaked? Despite ideological commonality, Thackeray's angularities create strains. The BJPis not comfortable with his proposal for a national monument in Ayodhya, but delights in his Sonia-baiting.SAMATA PARTY: Bihar: George Fernandes; Candidates: 22In spite of being one of the BJP's most loyal allies, Fernandes insists that he remains a "socialist". Fernandes and Nitish Kumar are in fact trying to reinvent the old JD minus Laloo Yadav. If the RJD performs poorly in this election, Samata Party may be tempted to go it alone in Bihar.AKALI DAL: Punjab: Parkash Singh Badal; Candidates: 8A traditional alliance that was resurrected in the 1996 assembly elections, with spectacular dividends. It was cemented when BJP supported Surjit Singh Barnala's candidature for vice-president's post. Hiccups arose when the Akalis decided not to put up a candidate against Prime Minister I.K. Gujral in Jalandhar.HARYANA VIKAS PARTY: Haryana: Bansi Lal; Candidates: 4The alliance was negotiated just prior to the 1996 election and swept the state. It was the BJP's first experiment in recent times of allying with what is basically a party of ex-Congressmen. Has endured, despite absence of ideological commonality.BIJU JANATA DAL: Orissa: Naveen Patnaik; Candidates: 12This alliance is the result of the disintegration of the Janata Dal into splinter groups, with many elements attaching themselves to the BJP. Anti-Congressism is the sole focus. Has survived a bitter wrangling over seat-sharing.LOK SHAKTI: Karnataka: Ramakrishna Hegde; Candidates: 10Alliance forged after Hegde was rebuffed by the post-Sonia Congress. Another offshoot of the collapse of the old Janata Dal. No ideological basis, but defined areas of influence.AIADMK: Tamil Nadu: J. Jayalalitha; Candidates: 34A psychological triumph since it conferred the BJP a level of acceptability in the south. The BJP won't benefit but could be Jayalalitha's lifeline in a possible Vajpayee government.TRINAMOOL CONGRESS: West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee; Candidates: 29A last-minute understanding that Mamata has admitted to very grudgingly. Certain to be a short-term arrangement with no discernible electoral gains for either party.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Feb 9, 1998--- ENDS ---
