The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Anti-incumbency factor to weigh against BJP S.Satyanarayanan Tribune News Service Kanpur, February 14 The BJP, which enjoyed a virtual supremacy in Kanpur in the 1996 Assembly poll wresting five of the six seats, is finding the going tough this time with anti-incumbency, poor economic development, unemployment and acute power crisis weighing against it even as in the overall caste equation, the party seems to have an edge. According to poll analysts here, the BJP, due to the possible “negative voting” by urban voters might face a defeat in at least three seats and could get a close call in two other seats where Congress and Samajwadi Party candidates are likely to give it a good run. The BJP, which had won five of the six seats in Kanpur last time, is likely to face the wrath of the working class as well as the small-scale industrialists, as despite a favourable government at the Centre the party had totally failed to revive sick industries, especially the five textile mills under the National Textile Corporation and improve the power situation. The party would find it extremely difficult to retain the five seats it had won last time as it could not fulfil the promise of revival of NTC mills made by none other than Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 1999 during election tour for the Lok Sabha poll. Mr Vajpayee had then promised from public platform that if the BJP assumes power at the Centre it would device a scheme to revive the five mills, on which the livelihood of 1,300 employees and their families rest. However, despite elapse of two precious years the situation has become worst from bad for the mill workers. When Mr Vajpayee had come here in 1999, we had given him a representation for the revival of the mills and he had assured us that he will do everything for its revival. But, after he has become the Prime Minister there seems to be more effort to close the units completely instead of its revival, an agitated Jai Shankar Vajpayee, one of the office-bearers of the NTC Mill Employees Union, told The Tribune. However, poll analysts here give a sure seat to the BJP in Kanpur (Cantt), where Satish Mahana, a sitting MLA and a Minister in Rajnath Singh’s government is contesting for the second time. The victory scale is weighed in favour of Mr Mahana due to his good performance and easily accessibility to the electorate. Here Samajwadi Party candidate Som Chand Gupta is likely to finish second. In General Ganj and Sesamau constituencies, the battle is likely to be tough for the BJP nominees Salil Bishnoi and Rakesh Sonkar, respectively.
	Voters divided on caste lines in Kanpur Satish Misra Tribune News Service Kanpur, February 14 In the Kanpur region, once the industrial hub of Uttar Pradesh, the electors are sharply divided on caste lines and no single political party seems to be having an edge over the other. In 1996 Assembly elections, the BJP and the BSP had won a majority of seats in the area with the Samajwadi Party (SP) winning the Aryanagar seat in the city. The BJP had won Sisamau, Generalganj, Kanpur Cantonment, Govindnagar, Kalyanpur, Derapur and Auraiya seats and the BSP had secured victories in Sarsaul, Ghatampur, Bhognipur, Rajpur, Sarvankhera, Chaubepur, Bilhaur and Ajitmal. “Now on every single seat, there is either a direct, triangular or quadrangular contest and the Congress, which had been totally wiped out of the electoral map of the city, may make a comeback, observers Mr Sunil Bajpai, a local industrialist. In Aryanagar, a seat held by SP’s Haji Mushtaq Solanki, there is a triangular fight between the SP, the BJP and the Congress. With the Milli Council and local Muslim leaders declaring support for SP candidate Mushtaq Solanki, the final outcome would depend upon the Brahmin votes and the traders’ preferences. If Brahmins decide to desert the BJP, then Congress candidate Bhudar Narayan Mishra would come in the reckoning. The Muslim voters have a considerable strength in this district and have declared their support for the Congress candidates in Generalganj, Kanpur (Cantt), Govindnagar and Kalyanpur. The Congress, represented in the Lok Sabha by its state president Sri Prakash Jaiswal, is very much in the race in every Assembly seat in this area. In Sisamau (Reserved), a seat held by the BJP, the contest is between Mr Sanjeev Dariabadi of the Congress and Durgesh Balmiki of the SP. The BJP, which has dropped its sitting MLA Rakesh Sonkar for his alleged involvement in cross voting in the Rajya Sabha elections, has fielded Mr K.C. Sonkar. In Generalganj, the contest appears to be a direct one between Mr Abdul Mannan of the Congress and Mr Salil Bishnoi of the BJP. The BJP, which had changed its sitting MLA Neeraj Chaturvedi, is trying to woo the Brahmin voters for retaining this seat. Mr Satish Mahana, the Urban Development Minister in the Rajnath Singh government, is locked in a direct battle with Congress challenger Girish Trivedi while BSP’s Hanif Ghoshi makes the contest triangular. Similarly, in Govindnagar and Kalyanpur constituencies, both held by the BJP, a keen battle is on the cards with Congress candidates Ajay Kappor and Alok Mishra putting up a serious fight for sitting MLA Bhal Chand Mishra and state Cabinet Minister Premlata Katiyar. In the rural Assembly constituencies of Sarsaul, Ghatampur, Bhognipur, Rajpur, Sarvankhera and Chaubepur, the contests are triangular and quadrangular. The BSP, which had a majority of seats, is locked in keen contests with the main challenge coming from the SP. In the neighbouring district of Unnao, which has seven Assembly seats, the SP and the BSP are battling out with some Independents and the allies of the BJP trying to remain in the contest.
	Ex-minister sued for ‘defamatory’ poster New Delhi, February 14 A local Congress worker has filed a suit seeking Rs 10 lakh in damages against a former Delhi BJP minister for using “defamatory” language against party President Sonia Gandhi in a poster brought out by him for her stand on POTO. The Delhi High Court, while accepting the suit for preliminary hearing, has issued notice to former BJP minister Surinder Pal Ratwal, his associate Ravinder Gupta, Samajik Ekta Sangh, an organisation run by them which allegedly had brought out the poster, and its publisher Setia Printers. The court has directed them to submit their replies by July 11 next when the matter would be taken up for argument on preliminary objections and the replies. Local Congress worker Ajay Vinayak in the suit filed by his counsel R.K. Saini alleged that the BJP leader had used defamatory language against Ms Sonia Gandhi in the poster brought out after terrorist attack on the Parliament House and had described her as a “videshi mem (foreign lady)” and the Congressmen as her “gulams (slaves).” PTI
	BJP MP backs VHP on temple New Delhi, February 14 In an apparent endorsement of the VHP’s move to start the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya on March 15, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP B.P. Singhal today joined the Parishad’s campaign to create a favourable public opinion in this regard. “Now when the sants have announced the date, the VHP will have to abide by it and what remains to be done now is to create a favourable public opinion on the issue,” Mr Singhal said while releasing a book on Ayodhya, brought out by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, at the VHP media centre here. UNI
	No help sought from USA on list: India Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 14 India today reiterated its long-held position of third party mediation in resolving the Kashmir dispute and rejected the USA offer to facilitate resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue. Reacting to a specific question from a Western reporter, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said there was “no room” for any third party mediation and categorically stated that all outstanding issues between the two countries had to be addressed “directly” through bilateral dialogue. The Western reporter had asked for New Delhi’s reaction to the reported statement of US President George W. Bush who had told reporters at the White House in presence of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf that “I hope we can facilitate serious and meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan.” General Musharraf had pleaded for US mediation or facilitation on the ground that bilateralism had failed to bring about any solution to the protracted Kashmir problem. India categorically stated that it has not sought any assistance from the USA in securing the extradition of 20 fugitives and terrorists from Pakistan. However, India was sharing information with Washington in the global fight against terrorism, she added. The spokesperson said the USA was aware of New Delhi’s concerns on the issue of the terrorists, named in the list of 20 persons submitted to Islamabad for extradition. Asked about reports that abducted American journalist Daniel Pearl might have been killed, she said, “We have seen reports but there does not seem to be any confirmation”. “We hope that no harm comes to him ...His kidnapping is deplorable,” the spokesperson said.
	Price decontrol of petrol from April 1 New Delhi, February 14 Prime Minister today approved price decontrol of petrol and diesel from April 1 as part of dismantling of administered pricing mechanism, but the issue of subsidies on kerosene and cooking gas (LPG) would be finalised by Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha in the Budget for 2002-03. In an apparent indication of a cut in prices of the two auto fuels, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik told PTI after a meeting with Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee that “consumers will be happy”. The APM modalities, including providing subsidy on kerosene and LPG and subsidy for far-flung areas, were discussed in a nearly 45-minute meeting where the Finance Minister was also present. “It has been finalised that APM will be dismantled as scheduled from April 1. Controls will go and the government will have no role in price fixation. The issue of subsidies will be addressed by the Finance Minister in his Budget,” Mr Naik said, while discounting reports of differences with Mr Sinha. Prices of decontrolled products would be fixed by the oil companies, Naik asserted and assured that “consumers interest will be taken care of just like we did in the last one year.” The Finance Minister is expected to make an announcement on concessions in excise and customs duties for the refinery sector in the coming Budget. During the discussion, fiscal concessions to gasolin and ethanol were also discussed. The issue assumes importance as the Petroleum Ministry in principle had decided to encourage the use of gasolin and ethanol in the automobile sector. PTI
	Politicians don’t inspire Laxman any more Bangalore, February 14 After decades of cartooning, R.K. Laxman now says he has lost fun in caricaturing because today’s politicians have become stereotypes and uninspiring to draw on. “They no longer wear Gandhi caps... they no longer grow moustaches. I have lost fun in caricaturing”, says the acclaimed cartoonist. “Nehru, Gandhi, Kriplani, Maulana Azad and Gobind Ballabh Pant... they were real characters... they have gone”, Laxman observes with a tinge of sadness. “Laloo is the only one (who inspires him)”, he hastened to add in an interaction with reporters here last night. “Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi cannot be relegated at all”, he adds. “Vajpayee is not bad at all (for cartooning). Narasimha Rao is not far behind”, commented Laxman, who is here to receive life-time achievement award instituted by the Indian Institute of Cartoonists. He recalled how Nehru was appreciative of his cartooning and Indira Gandhi was not. Once Rajiv Gandhi vividly asked him why he had made him look “fat” and “bad” and how he (Laxman) replied a la politician way! “I will look into the matter”. PTI
	Lighter pay packet likely for Bihar staff Our Correspondent Patna, February 14 Bihar joins the race with Kerala as it faces an acute financial crisis after sustaining on the RBI overdraft last month. However, Bihar is better off in a way that its treasuries unlike Kerala are not yet shut. However, talks are on to have a cut on salaries and pension, including that of the political lords. A member of the Cabinet subcommittee on economic matters and Cabinet Minister of Water Resource, Mr Jagdanand said as only a joint effort could save the day for Bihar ministers and legislators too should be ready for a cut in their salaries and perks. The ruling party leaders are out to blame the Centre for the financial crisis in the state maintaining that it did not release the fund meant for the state. However, the reality remains that state’s won revenue collection has been far below the target. There are also talks of curtailing the Plan size. However, majority are in favour of 15 per cent to 25 per cent cut in the salaries of the staff. The state Finance Department is maintaining a brave face though. Sources in the department maintained that Bihar was still well off compared to rich states like Kerala and even Assam. The treasuries in Kerala have been shut by the RBI as the state exceeded the overdraft limit. In Assam treasuries are opened only four days a week. The reality is not that rosy. Other departments have already sent an SoS to the Chief Secretary about empty coffers hindering development works. The Water Resource Department authorities said it did not even have money to complete its ongoing flood protection works. The Centre-bashing for the current crisis is on. Mr Jagdanand said the crisis way the baby of Centre’s wrong policies. A Finance Department official said the state was not given Rs 66 crore of its share in the central pool of taxes and the current crisis was the result of that. The Minister of Panchayati Raj and Member Economic Committee of the Cabinet, Mr U.P. Verma said Bihar was made to bear a loss of Rs 200 crore of central money from the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF). He lambasted the Union Finance Minister and the Prime Minister for this biased distribution of the relief. “Jharkhand has been given 46 per cent of fund from the CRF even when it does not face either flood or drought like Bihar.