BJP, HVC remove irritants
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 9 — Some of the major irritants plaguing the ruling BJP-HVC, alliance were removed following a meeting between Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and HVC chief Sukh Ram in Delhi two days ago.

The meeting is politically significant in the light of the three-week ultimatum given by the HVC for acceptance of its demands, including a CBI inquiry into the charges against Mr Virbhadra Singh and the setting up a coordination committee to ensure smooth functioning of the coalition government.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the talks.

Mr Sukh Ram said the Chief Minister had agreed to order a CBI probe into the allegations contained in the HVC charge sheet against Mr Virbhadra Singh though no time frame had been fixed for it.

Mr Dhumal and Mr Sukh Ram also agreed to evolve a mechanism to ensure better coordination. It was decided that the two top leaders would meet more frequently, at least once in a forthnight, and efforts would be made to ensure similar interaction at the district level.

The dispute regarding the implementation of the poll manifestoes of the two parties was not considered serious as most of the points are common. It was decided that the common points will be implemented on priority in a phased manner.

Mr Sukh Ram, who addressed a party rally at Thanedhar along with other leaders, yesterday publicly asserted that the coalition government would last its full term. He also ruled out the possibility of his rejoining the Congress.

Fissures had started appearing in the alliance over the past one month as Mr Sukh Ram and other HVC leaders felt that the BJP leadership was ignoring them and not treating the party as a coalition partner. Mr Sukh Ram had made known his displeasure in the assembly itself and said the government had adopted an indifferent attitude on sensitive issues which the party had been raising from time to time.

The state executive of the HVC, which met soon after the monsoon session of the assembly, virtually served a three-week ultimatum on the government to accept its demands and handed out a veiled threat to withdraw support by stating that it would be constrained to review the political situation and take appropriate action if no steps were taken to sort out the irritants by August 20.