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BSP-SP confrontation building up

By J. P. Shukla

LUCKNOW APRIL 16. Uttar Pradesh appears to be heading for a prolonged confrontation between the BSP-led State Government and the Samajwadi Party-led Opposition following the Chief Minister, Mayawati's decision to take legal action against Mulayam Singh Yadav for alleged "misuse of the Chief Minister's discretionary funds" during his tenure.

As the follow-up action against the beneficiaries of Mr. Yadav's discretionary grants triggered a chain of arrests in various parts of the State, SP workers registered sporadic protests in Lucknow and in the districts.

The protests turned violent in half a dozen districts with SP workers setting up roadblocks, burning effigies of the Chief Minister and setting Government vehicles on fire. FIRs are being registered and the total number of cases registered has crossed 150 and Mr. Yadav has been implicated in every one of them.

The confrontation has also resulted in greater cohesiveness among various Opposition parties.

Besides hauling up Mr. Yadav, the Chief Minister ordered investigations into the alleged misuse of discretionary funds by the former Governor, Motilal Vora. During President's rule in 1995-96, Mr. Vora had sanctioned grants from the Chief Minister's discretionary fund as was done during the tenure of popular Governments.

An offended Congress has strongly protested against the Chief Minister placing a Chief Minister and a Governor in the same category.

Mr. Vora denied that he had misused discretionary funds and said any investigation into the powers of the Governor was invalid under the law.

The State Congress president, Arun Kumar Singh "Munna", said the Chief Minister's decision was politically motivated.

Support to Mr. Yadav has also come from the former Chief Minister and Rashtriya Kranti Party leader, Kalyan Singh, and other Opposition groups which have described Ms. Mayawati's action as political vendetta.

The BJP leaders have reacted cautiously.

They are worried that the confrontation could have serious consequences for the ruling alliance.

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