BJP, CII come closer

The whole of last week saw the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meet repeatedly for what has now become a special relationship.

The meetings included a presentation by CII chief Sunil Kant Munjal to the chief ministers of the BJP ruled states last weekend as also a meeting between BJP chief M Venkaiah Naidu and a CII delegation at the party office.

The cozy relationship has come as a bit of surprise to many after a CII function last year was disrupted after some members made adverse comments on Gujarat's poor law and order situation. There were protests at the venue, subsequent to which the relationship between the CII and the BJP was sour at best.

According to Naidu, all that is the past now. "We are over that phase, and will be working closely with the CII for nation building activities," he said.

By nation building, Naidu means participating in the CII task forces on various issues, giving grass root level inputs for various vocational courses and increasing government-industry partnerships in the BJP ruled states.

"Our young MP's will also be taken round the country to have an experience of our industrial base," said Naidu. The increasing closeness of the two according to him is just a "home improvement measure" initiated by the party.

"We want to do positive things with our time, that despite not being in power at the Centre we are serious about governance issues," he added.

The presentation by Munjal appeared upbeat on all BJP- ruled states and especially so when it came to Gujarat. The state was perceived as a future BPO powerhouse, as well as a biotechnology hub.

Strangely, the CII recommends the building up of a "spirit of enterprise" among the already enterprising Gujarati community. Munjal also asked for a contract farming act for the state to bring up the agricultural and horticulture based industries in the state.

The NDA regime when it was in power was not one to be cozy with the federations and chambers. The BJP's cozy relationship with CII therefore appears to be an attempt to again project itself as the "natural party for governance."

After all if it worked once, why should'nt it work again.