The Hindu : Rein in BJP leaders: Mayawati

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 10, 2003

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Rein in BJP leaders: Mayawati

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI FEB. 9. A high-level meeting to sort out the differences between the ruling coalition partners in Uttar Pradesh — the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party — should take place next week. This was agreed upon here today at a meeting between the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, who came here yesterday in connection with the Chief Ministers' meeting on internal security.

Ms. Mayawati apparently complained to Mr. Advani that State BJP leaders were making public statements that were detrimental to the smooth functioning of the coalition government. She wanted Mr. Advani to rein in his party leaders and prevent them from rushing to the press. "I suggested that a meeting be held between me, the State BJP leaders and Mr. Advani where differences can be sorted out face-to-face," she said after the meeting, "and Mr. Advani agreed."

But even as the meeting between the two leaders was on, in Ghaziabad there were reports that Kalraj Mishra, senior State BJP leader, once again raked up the issue of independent MLA, Raja Bhayya, and his father (reportedly close to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad) being arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Mr. Mishra was reported to have objected to POTA being used against the "representatives of the people".

First it was the use of B.R. Ambedkar by the BJP State unit president, Vinay Katiyar, that Ms. Mayawati and her party objected to. Now it is the MLA's arrest under POTA and the police "harassment" of other legislators that is worrying the BJP, especially as they think that this will erode their base among the "Thakurs".

The BJP is likely to call its own meeting of State and Central leaders to sort out the problem before calling the meeting with Ms. Mayawati, a senior BJP leader said. So far, the BJP's statements on the Raja Bhayya episode have not been consistent — the central leadership has been wary of speaking openly in his favour as "he has known criminal antecedents" a party leader said.

But the State leaders are looking only at his "caste" and fear a "Thakur" backlash against the BJP. The BJP central leadership does not want to rock the U.P. boat. It wants the alliance with the BSP to continue as it would like it to be in place when the Lok Sabha elections are held next year.

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