Move against three Lals afoot
From Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Aug 8 — Although the assembly elections in Haryana are far away, moves are afoot for fresh alignments among political parties. Such activity is expected to be intensified after the proposed "sammelan" organised by Mr Raghu Yadav of the Bahujan Samaj Party at Narnaul on August 10.

Leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Shiv Sena and Haryana Gana Parishad and the Editor, Punjab Kesri, Mr Ashwani Kumar Chopra are said to have held a series of discussions to set up a political platform.

Those who are keen on the move are president of the Haryana unit of the BSP and the lone party MP, Mr Aman Nagra, his party colleague, Mr Raghu Yadav, president of the state unit of the Shiv Sena, Dr Arvind Sharma and the president of the Haryana Gana Parishad and former Union Minister Jai Prakash.

A senior leader of the BSP told TNS that the move for building up a political force in the state against the three Lals — Chief Minister Bansi Lal, former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal and former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal — had received encouraging response.

The votaries of the move hope to rope in disgruntled elements in the ruling HVP-BJP combine, the Haryana Lok Dal and the Congress. They also expect support from the Left parties and the Janata Dal, even though these parties did not matter much in state politics.

To begin with, the leaders have decided to take part in the campaign launched by Mr Raghu Yadav for equitable distribution of waters to South Haryana. In fact, the August 10 sammelan in Narnaul is in the memory of two persons killed when the police opened fire at a rally on August 10, 1993.

The rally organised by Mr Raghu Yadav (at that time he was not with BSP) was a part of the "jal yudh" campaign launched by him. To give an emotive appeal to the meeting, the star speaker will be Mr Yadav — the organisers have billed it as the fifth death anniversary of those who died in the police firing.

The organisers of the sammelan say that it will be in continuation of the campaign that Mr Yadav had launched in South Haryana a few years ago for a just share in the waters and in matter of recruitment in government jobs.

The feeling of discrimination against South Haryana by successive governments is not new. This is being hoped to be cashed on by the leaders behind the move. These leaders hope to expand their activities in other parts of the state, depending on the kind of support they get in South Haryana.

In fact, Mr Raghu Yadav and Mr Ashwani Kumar have been active in South Haryana for the past couple of months. Mr Chopra has also been meeting members of the Punjabi community — the single largest community in the state.