The Hindu : Mayawati to induct more Ministers from BJP?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 16, 2002

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Mayawati to induct more Ministers from BJP?

By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW OCT. 15. The Bharatiya Janata Party seems to have worked out a strategy to contain the resentment within its ranks with a formula to add more Ministers to the Mayawati Council of Ministers in Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Minister has reportedly agreed to this.

After the expansion of her Cabinet last Friday, Ms. Mayawati had said there would be no further expansion. Now, she has indicated her willingness to induct more Ministers, if necessary. She has, however, insisted that the "induction" did not mean "expansion''.

Talking to presspersons after unveiling the statues of social reformers at Ambedkar Park here on Monday, she said the total number of MLAs belonging to the BJP and its allies was greater than that of her own party. Therefore, there was scope for induction of more Ministers from the BJP.

Some sections of the BJP had openly protested against the rejection of ministerial claims of several "deserving candidates" in the Cabinet expansion. And to tide over the problem, the party leadership simultaneously acted on two fronts. While those going public with their grievances were snubbed, the leaders of the BJP legislature group, Lalji Tandon and the State BJP chief, Vinay Katiyar, discussed the issue with Ms. Mayawati and requested her to induct a few more Ministers from the party.

The Chief Minister is reported to have reconciled herself to the idea of a ministerial post for the independent MLA, Raghuraj Pratap Singh (Raja Bhaiyya), favourite of the former Chief Minister Rajnath Singh.

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Mayawati to induct more Ministers from BJP?