Disgruntled Delhi MPs explain stand

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 8. The three disgruntled Delhi BJP MPs - Mr. Madan Lal Khurana, Mr. Sahib Singh Verma and Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra - met the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today to express their ``deep sense of anguish'' over reports that they were responsible for Mr. Jagmohan's ouster from the Union Ministry of Urban Development in the latest round of Cabinet reshuffle.

The three veterans have also been reported to be unhappy that a relatively junior colleague, Mr. Vijay Goel, had managed to get himself posted as Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office. There has been speculation since the reshuffle last week that the troika was planning to raise the banner of revolt.

The sulking MPs, along with the East Delhi MP, Mr. Lal Behari Tiwari, called on the Prime Minister around 1 p.m. During their hour-long interaction, the MPs are understood to have impressed upon Mr. Vajpayee the need to put the party machinery in place for the coming Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections as they were crucial and had national implications. ``The MCD polls are as important for the party as the elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttaranchal,'' they are believed to have told Mr. Vajpayee. They clarified that the elevation of the Chandni Chowk MP, Mr. Vijay Goel, had nothing to do with their resentment.

It is understood that Mr. Vajpayee, while giving a patient hearing to the MPs, was unhappy with them for resorting to pressure tactics by going to the media with their grievances.

Prof. Malhotra, party spokesman and South Delhi MP, said they impressed upon the Prime Minister the need to initiate steps to implement the Malhotra Committee report, take steps to regularise thousands of commercial establishments which had come up in residential areas and the need to implement the Union Cabinet decision on regularisation of unauthorised colonies. This, they pointed out, was part of the party manifesto for the 1997 MCD elections and should be fulfilled without delay.

Expressing happiness with the outcome of the meeting with the Prime Minister, Prof. Malhotra said that at no point had they threatened to resign from party posts. ``This is all speculation and we never contemplated any such move. We only met (the party president) Mr. Jana Krishnamurthy and Mr. Vajpayee to convey our point of view and explain our position on various issues. Nothing else was discussed during the meeting.''

The MPs also underlined the need to gear up the party machinery in view of the adverse results of the Delhi University Teachers' Association and Delhi University Students' Union elections.

The troika had met the party president on Friday evening, triggering off reports that they had submitted their resignations from the party posts in protest. At the meeting, they also protested against the manner in which they were being held responsible for Mr. Jagmohan's removal from the Urban Development Ministry. They expressed the same views during their meeting with the Prime Minister.

Mr. Krishnamurthy told reporters today that he had not received any resignations; so the question of accepting them did not arise. ``The three MPs met me to discuss issues and problems relating to Delhi and the coming MCD polls. No other matter was discussed and they did not show any resentment against anybody.''

Mr. Vajpayee told the MPs that he would soon hold discussions with the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, to put in place a mechanism for better coordination between the party and the Government. He also asked the MPs to get in touch with the new Union Urban Development Minister, Mr. Ananth Kumar, to discuss various issues, including implementation of the points mentioned in the party manifesto.

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