BJP to support Rahul Bajaj to exploit Cong-NCP differences in Mah

New Delhi, June 5 (UNI) In an effort to exploit the differences between the Congress-NCP coalition in Maharashtra, the BJP today decided to support industrial tycoon Rahul Bajaj, contesting as an NCP-supported independent for the forthcoming by-election to Rajya Sabha, along with its ally Shiv Sena.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Parliamentary Board, chaired by BJP President Rajnath Singh.

The combined stregnth of BJP-Shiv Sana's 110 MLAs supporting the NCP-backed candidate can tilt the balance much to the discomfort of the Congress, which has fielded Mr Avinash Pande as its nominee, but has little chance of winning in the 288 member Assembly.

The winning candidate needs support of 145 members.

''Mr Bajaj is not new to the BJP... he has worked in the Advisory Council of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during the NDA regime,'' party spokesman Prakash Javadekar said.

The BJP now expects the Congress candidate to back out of the race while the Congress is likely to mount pressure on NCP Chief Sharad Pawar either to back its candidate or issue a threat to disassociate him from the UPA.

''This will only be a begining of the end of the UPA coalition as predicted by BSP Chief Mayawati,'' BJP spokesmen Ravi Shankar Prasad and Mr Javadekar claimed.

The trouble within the Congress-NCP has been brewing for months eversince the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections where both fielded one extra candidate. Ultimately the NCP's fourth candidate lost, infuriating the party and prompting it to take a revenge in the Rajya Sabha elections by fielding the automobile giant baron.

The BJP is likely to field its Secretary Shanawaz Hussain from Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat vacated by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi but no decision has been taken as yet.

Today's meeting was attended by Leaders of Opposition in Parliament L K Advani and Jaswant Singh, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, Satya Narain Jatiya, Sanjay Joshi, Sushma Swaraj, Thawar Chand Gehlot and Mr Shanawaz Hussain.

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