The BJP and some of its sister organisations in the Sangh Parivar are deeply divided on some of the contentious issues ... excluded from the national agenda of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. Even the ... RSS is taking an ambivalent attitude.

They all would very much like the BJP and its. allies to win the election and form the government. The Sangh Parivar ... has come round to accept that without a BJP poll victory, it would be impossible to consolidate 'Hindutva' forces, not to speak of implementing its 'hidden agenda'.

To ensure the party's poll triumph, it was necessary to pertain a moderate and liberal face, or a 'mukhota' as Govindacharya described it, so as to make the alliance a comfortable place for the non-BJP allies, and thereby enlist a larger support base ... Front organisations like the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have not taken kindly to it and have been venting their resentment from time to time ... In terms of realpolitik the BJP and others of the Parivar know it well if they stuck to these issues it will be difficult for them to keep the allies together and get the number of seats necessary to form a government. They may even not be able to retain the present number ..

They are also conscious of the fact that Vajpayee is the only leader in their ranks who has a liberal image and does not like to be projected as an obscurantist ...

In a nutshell, it means the issue is still open within the party and the Parivar and the RSS will not like the debate to end, though it would not articulate the issues at least for the time being.

In the meanwhile, the VHP president Vishnu Hari Dalmia ... has queered the pitch by stating that "the BJP cashed in on these issues as long as it served its purpose but the VHP will go ahead with the construction work in 2001 irrespective of who heads the government a t the Centre". He also warned the BJP that it would have to pay the price for "flip-flop signals" on the temple issue ...

It is also quite likely that the non-BJP constituents of the NDA, may play a significant role in strengthening the hands of Vajpayee. Compulsions of power may also play a decisive role in this. (Source: The New Age; 12-18 September, 1999)