BJP sees no crisis

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI, AUG. 10. The Bharatiya Janata Party sees no crisis in Uttar Pradesh and is confident the Rajnath Singh Government will continue to enjoy majority support in the 403-member State Assembly despite the ``withdrawal of support'' by the 19-MLA strong Loktantrik Congress Party of Mr. Naresh Agrawal, who was sacked as Energy Minister earlier today.

Senior party leaders here confirmed that matters came to a head when Mr. Agrawal attacked the Rajnath Singh Government at a public meeting in Hardwar yesterday. By last evening, the Chief Minister had decided to drop Mr. Agrawal from the Cabinet and after consulting the party high command here - Mr. Rajnath Singh telephoned the party president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthi this morning, and the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister were also consulted - a letter was sent to the Governor this morning recommending that Mr. Agrawal be dismissed.

The party had done its homework - it enjoyed the additional support of nine MLAs of the Rashtriya Lok Dal of Mr. Ajit Singh (recently made the Minister for Agriculture in the Vajpayee Government), and it was calculated that Mr. Agrawal would not be able to take all his MLAs along with him as all of them were Ministers. Senior BJP leaders here claimed Mr. Agrawal may be left with three MLAs (himself and two others), while as many as 16 could remain ``loyal'' to the BJP, including about half-a- dozen ``thakur'' MLAs who would go along with the `thakur' Chief Minister.

The serious power crisis in the State - the industry in Kanpur has virtually shut down because of lack of power and farmers and city dwellers alike have been without electricity for 14 to 15 hours a day - was the cause of the anger among the people. The Chief Minister, possibly, calculated that by getting rid of Mr. Agrawal he could win some brownie points. Party leaders here also alleged that Mr. Agrawal had blatantly ensured regular power to his own constituency.

There were also allegations of corruption and the charge that he was trying to build himself up as a ``baniya'' leader. Perhaps the last and final reason for the BJP to decide to rock its own boat was Mr. Agrawal's flirting with the Samajwadi Party.

The drama in Lucknow took place with Mr. Kushabhau Thakre, former party president in-charge of the State, present there. Several crucial meetings took place there, and yesterday the decision was taken. The party's central office bearers met here this evening and briefly discussed the happenings in Lucknow.

Some in the party are also talking about more action in the weeks to come. ``Dekhte jaeeye kya kya hota hai (wait and see what happens)'' was the comment of Mr. Sunil Shastri, general secretary.

It seems that in its dying moments the BJP Government in the State is bent on enacting the drama that accompanied its birth - splitting of parties. With many MLAs from the BJP and its different coalition partners looking for greener pastures in the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the BJP may be left with no choice but to crack the whip.

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