Chitrakoot:
In Samajwadi Party-ruled Uttar Pradesh, the BJP's senior-most leader LK Advani said today what Mulayam Singh Yadav has been saying for some time now. That Lok Sabha elections could be held earlier than scheduled, even this year.
"It is possible that Lok Sabha polls can happen in 2013...it is possible that they could be held with state elections later this year," Mr Advani said. Four major states vote for new Assemblies this year, the last, Madhya Pradesh, in November. Lok Sabha elections are due only in May 2014.
Mr Advani's visit to Chitrakoot in UP for a party meet is being keenly watched because of the surprise praise he drew from Mulayam Singh Yadav last month, leading to speculation, and indeed accusations, that the SP chief was cosying up to arch-enemy, the BJP, with an eye on the general elections.
Today, the BJP leader too seemed to reach out to Mr Yadav when he said that political parties should change their strategy with changing times, without compromising with the basic principles of the organisation. The context, though oblique, was significant. Mr Advani was praising socialist icon Ram Manohar Lohia saying he had appreciated the idea of cultural nationalism of the Jansangh, the BJP's fore-father. He even said that Lohia had "recognised the cultural identity of Ram and had started a Ramayan mela."
250 km away in Lucknow, a pleased Mr Yadav said, "I praised Adavni and Advani has praised (Ram Manohar) Lohia... Praising Lohia is a very good thing." Mr Yadav is a Lohia-ite and his party is based on the socialist leader's political principles.
Mr Advani also seemed to talk straight to Mr Yadav when he said, "I believe that our country has been converted into a bi polar polity. No government is possible without the BJP or the Congress." Mulayam Singh Yadav provides external support to the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, but has been severely critical of it in recent days and says he will take the lead to facilitate a non-Congress, non-BJP Third Front government after the next general elections.
He had created a stir in March when he said in a public speech, "Advani sahab says UP is in a very bad state and corruption is rampant... Now I have to assess the situation when a senior leader like Advani says such a thing. He never lies. He always speaks the truth, as I have said many times... I'll go and meet him again."
The Congress blasted Mr Yadav and his own partymen could scarcely hide their discomfort as the Samajwadi Party chief has often said that the only reason he continues to help prop up the Manmohan Singh government is to keep "communal forces" at bay. That for the longest time has translated directly to mean the BJP. Will that change now?