New Delhi, February 24
Putting up a brave face, the BJP today decided to adopt a wait-and- watch stance keeping all options open.
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee held a meeting with senior colleagues from the party and the government at his residence to take stock of the situation.
The meeting was attended by party President K. Jana
Krishnamurthi, former BJP President Kushabhau Thakre, Union Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani,
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan, Labour Minister and Janata Dal (U) President Sharad Yadav and Union Agriculture Minister Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh.
While Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh and state unit President Kalraj Mishra clai-med responsibility for the BJP’s poor electoral performance, offering to resign from their posts, the party high command is watching the fast changing developments.
Meanwhile, Mr Rajnath Singh and Mr Kalraj Mishra have been summoned to Delhi tomorrow by the party high command.
Central and state leaders are holding divergent views on the formation of a government in the biggest state with some insisting on sitting in the opposition and the others favouring an understanding with BSP leader Mayawati.
Those favouring an understanding with the BSP are of the view that this will provide stability to the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
This view received support from none other than Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Uma Bharti when she said: “We should do everything to ensure people of the state do not feel insecure”.
With a view to boosting the lower morale of party workers, Ms Bharti also launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party saying that it was a group of “criminals and anarchist elements”.
She said her party’s moves as regards Uttar Pradesh had four objectives to see to the interests of people, aspirations of the party workers, not to have any truck with undesirable elements and not to indulge in horse-trading.
On the other hand, Mr Rajnath Singh suggested that the party should not rush. He said his party would not stake claim to form the government “as of now”.
While Ms Mayawati has already arrived in the Capital to consult BSP supremo Kanshi Ram, the big question before her is how to keep her elected MLAs together.
Another section in the party is pressuring the party high command to move away from the “manipulative” mode of politics and sit in the Opposition.
Former Bajrang Dal leader and now an active member of VHP Vinay Katiyar, who is also the Lok Sabha MP from Faizabad, pleaded for sitting in the Opposition with the objective of sharpening the Hindu agenda.
The dilemma of the BJP was clearly evident when Mr Krishnamurthi told newspersons after the meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence that “the entire post-poll scenario will be deliberated upon and further course will be decided during the parliamentary Board meeting tomorrow.”
However, he maintained that the verdict of the people was for the party to sit in the Opposition.
A meeting of the NDA also been scheduled for tomorrow.
