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BJP rushes Kushabhau to Lucknow

By Our New Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI OCT. 30. The Bharatiya Janata Party leadership today rushed the former party president, Kushabhau Thakre, to Lucknow to help quell the rebellion within the party in the State even as it continued to maintain that there was no threat to the BJP-BSP coalition government headed by Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh.

Although the party's central leadership has been indicating that stern disciplinary action would be taken against all those who have participated in "anti-party activities'', the party general secretary and spokesperson, Arun Jaitley, hinted today that it might be prepared to revoke the suspension orders against two senior legislators, Ramashish Rai and Ganga Bhakt Singh, if they "first make amends''.

The central leadership was prepared to meet the dissidents and listen to their grievances, but they must make amends, — probably the party expected a public apology from them.

Senior party leaders here admitted that they did not want to lose Mr. Rai and Mr. Singh, who had both been associated with the BJP for a long period. By rushing Mr. Thakre to Lucknow the party indirectly admitted that the issue was in danger of going out of hand. What has really shocked the BJP here is that some of its MLAs have been "hobnobbing with the political foes (that is, the Samajwadi Party),'' as Mr. Jaitley admitted.

On the other side, the Congress leadership is watching the developments closely — the matter was discussed at a meeting of the general secretaries here today.

As the party spokesperson, Anand Sharma, said: "As of now, we do not think the situation warrants a pro-active approach.'' The party president, Sonia Gandhi, would take an "appropriate decision at the appropriate time.''

The view is that the Congress would step in "to strengthen secular forces" only if the BSP-BJP Government falls owing to its own contradictions and weaknesses. As for "those (read Samajwadi Party) who want to fight the BJP in Gujarat, they should come under the Congress banner,'' Mr. Sharma said.

Party leaders also pointed out that Ms. Gandhi had personally met party workers during her visits to U.P. and ascertained their views.What had emerged was that the workers were averse to horse-trading or engineering defections.

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