Sir — This refers to the editorial “Rainbow coalition in TN” (March 22). Claims by BJP’s former ally JD(U) and other anti-BJP parties that no party would partner with the Right-wing outfit under Mr Narendra Modi’s leadership, have fallen flat.
The BJP has stitched an alliance with Mr Ramdas Athawale’s Republican Party of India in Maharashtra, with Rashtriya lok Samata Party leader Upendra Kushwaha and the lok Janshakti Party of Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan in Bihar, and now in Tamil Nadu with five regional outfits, the DMDK, the MDMK, the PMK, the IJK and the KMDK. Reports suggest that the BJP’s alliance with Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP and others is on the cards in Andhra Pradesh. The Congress in this State is shut out.
Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s PDP is reportedly coming close to the NDA in Jammu & Kashmir. Dalit activist Udit Raj, Congress leaders Jagdambika Pal and Satpal Maharaj, RJD leader Ram Kripal Yadav and JD(U) leader NK Singh have crossed over to the BJP. Senior journalist MJ Akbar, once a Congress MP and spokesperson, too has joined the BJP. The rainbow is becoming more colourful by the day.