New Delhi, April 21
The BJP today set the ball rolling on the formation of a coalition government in UP when its UP chief, Mr Kalraj Misra and senior leader, Mr Lalji Tandon called on BSP leader and former UP Chief Minister, Ms Mayawati at her Humayun Road residence in the forenoon. The two leaders also called on Union Agriculture Minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal President, Ajit Singh in the evening.

The two-and-a-half-hour-long meeting preceded by breakfast is being seen as preliminary homework by senior BJP leaders to read the mind of the BSP leader before the BJP’s Central Parliamentary Board meeting this week.

Mr Kalraj Misra told TNS here late in the afternoon that their informal meeting with Ms Mayawati was not newsworthy. He said BSP leader Kanshi Ram was present during the breakfast hosted by Ms Mayawati. He said the meeting lasted over two hours.

Asked whether the leaders also discussed ways of accommodating BJP ally, the Rashtriya Lok Dal, Mr Misra said: “Both BJP and the BSP will hold talks with the Rashtriya Lok Dal.”

The two leaders also called on Agriculture Minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal President, Ajit Singh at his Tughlak Road residence here.

Mr Misra had told mediapersons in Lucknow on Friday that the matters related to the terms of the alliance, the functioning of the government and distribution of portfolios would be discussed at the board meeting.

“Till now, it has only been decided that the two parties will form a coalition government to end the political stalemate in UP.”

Mr Misra also clarified that the coalition was not due to any political compulsions of the Central Government. He said that the Samajwadi Party which had emerged as the single largest party in the elections had failed to muster the required strength to form a government.

LUCKNOW: Two major allies of the BJP — the Janata Dal (U) and the Lok Janshakti Party — have decided to support the BJP-BSP government under the leadership of Ms Mayawati in UP. But leaders of the two parties have refused to disclose whether or not they will ask for their pound of flesh in the form of seat in the government.

The President of the Janata Dal (U), Mr Sharad Yadav, and the national chief of Lok Janshakti, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, in different press conferences held today favoured the constitution of an elected government in the state. This government will help in ameliorating the grievances of Dalits, said Mr Yadav.

On the other hand Mr Paswan, who had been spitting fire at the name of Ms Mayawati, once again called the national President of the BSP as ‘opportunist leader’. But he said his party would support the BJP-BSP government in the state for the benefit of the downtrodden.