‘Tainted’ jump onto Modi bandwagon irks Sushma

• Controversial Bellary brothers from Karnataka show interest
• Venod, father of Manu Sharma, killer of Jessica Lal set to join NDA
• BJP President Rajnath Singh keen to allow them into party
• DMDK follows PMK and MDMK, seals pact in Tamil Nadu
• TN Chief Minister’s indirect way to say no to Left on alliance

New Delhi: With all the poll surveys predicting huge victory for the BJP in the 2014 polls, different political parties are jumping on to the Narendra Modi bandwagon. Contrary to the earlier perception that the political parties will think twice before joining the BJP, this time round, leaders from different parties, including the Congress, are trying hard to tie-up with the Modi's party, thus blurring the secular-communal divide.

Aware that he is not a pan-Indian leader, Modi is busy stitching-up the regional-level alliances that can push up his poll tally to 272+.

The BJP got a shot in the arm on Thursday when DMDK sealed a pact with it in Tamil Nadu. PMK and MDMK have already tied-up with the BJP inthe State.

The latest to knock at the doors of the BJP are the controversial Bellary brothers from Karnataka. Haryana leader Venod Sharma is also joining the NDA, by shaking hands with Haryana Janhit Congress (HJS), the party run by former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal's son Kuldeep Bishnoi. Venod Sharma is the father of Manu Sharma, killer of model Jessica Lal.

Despite various land-deal allegations against Venod Sharma and strong resistance by Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj against Venod Sharma and the mining barons of Bellary, BJP President Rajnath Singh is keen to allow them into the party. Sushma Swaraj tweeted, "I am opposed to the BSR alliance or merger with BJP in Karnataka. I have conveyed to Shri Rajnath Singhji in writing that BJP must not permit this." Since Sushma Swaraj is often linked with the Bellary brothers, she made her position clear through the social media. The Bellary brothers had formed their own party, BSR Congress, under the leadership of former Karnataka Minister B Sriramulu in 2012 to take on the BJP. They won 4 seats in the 2013 Assembly elections in the State. They tried later to merge their party with the Congress,but with the latter declining the offer, they have inched towards the BJP. The BSR is known for the use of money power in the elections.

NCP leader from Bihar, Nagmani, ditched Sharad Pawar by quitting the party and choosing to go with the BJP.

Dalit leader Udit Raj had also joined the BJP, giving a fillip to Modi's Prime Ministerial bid.

With the entry of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) into NDA, Narendra Modi has made huge gains in Bihar. The LJP-BJP alliance in Bihar is expected to sweep the elections in the State, marginalizing the Muslim-OBC votes of the Opposition.

Interestingly, it is not only the smaller parties, which are vying with each other to join the NDA, but even the giants, having Prime Ministerial ambitions, are keeping their options open. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa rebuffed the Left (CPM and CPI) in Tamil Nadu, by giving them one seat each in the Lok Sabha.

This was her indirect way to say no to the alliance. Similarly, BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik, too, is playing it safe by keeping a distance from the Third Front. Both the parties will join the NDA, if the need arises, after the 2014 polls.

Their keeping a distance with the Third Front is an indicator that they, too, feel that the Modi-led NDA has an edge over the Third Front.