Karnataka episode has taught BJP a lesson: Vaidya

Nagpur, Maharashtra, Nov 25 (UNI) Asserting that the collapse of its short-lived government in Karnataka had taught the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a lesson, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue M G Vaidya said in the present age of coalition politics, all parties must be careful about who they entered into a tie-up with.

Writing in his weekly column in local Marathi daily 'Tarun Bharat' today, Mr Vaidya said political party must check the character of the political outfit with which it is entering into an alliance.

''A party must check the character, principles and nature of its prospective ally. It must ensure that such an alliance does not sacrifice its own fundamental principles, policies and programmes. It is natural in politics to be close to certain forces and distant from others, but such closeness must have some constructive base,'' he said.

Writing about the events in Karnataka, Mr Vaidya said that the BJP leadership in the state committed the grave mistake of falling for the overtures of the ''shameless'' father-son duo of H D Devegowda and H D Kumaraswamy after it was snubbed by the Congress. The Congress did not accept the demands of the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S) and refused to have a tie-up, which was the right political decision, he said and added, ''It would not be incorrect to say that the leadership of the BJP in Karnataka was, however, not as shrewd.'' Mr Vaidya said that the commitment of the JD-S to secularism was so fickle that it did not feel ashamed of sacrificing it to grab the post of Chief Minister. ''The JD-S remembered that the BJP was communal only after it had enjoyed the post of chief minister for 20 months,'' he said.

An alliance did not necessarily mean participation in power, as it was possible to have one where the ally extended support on certain issues, but did not participate in the government, Mr Vaidya said.

''Keeping the Congress out of power can be one objective.

However, this is a negative aim. Besides, it is also necessary to examine which party is replacing the Congress,'' he said.

''Aligning against a particular party does not benefit anyone.

It did not benefit the non-Congress parties when they aligned years ago. Opposition to the BJP is the focus of politics now.

With that sole aim, the Congress associated itself with several parties with ideologies conflicting with its own. However, it does not appear that the Congress has gained any benefit from it,'' he added.

UNI