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UP dissidents demand secret ballot to test Kalyan's strength

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

The Bharatiya Janata Party unit in India's largest state is in turmoil with the dissidents remaining unrelenting in their demand for the ouster of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh.

Today they demanded that Kalyan Singh convene a meeting of the legislature party in the presence of a central observer.

Rajesh Pandey, member of the Vidhan Parishad and spokesman for the dissidents, said the support for Singh could be ascertained through a secret ballot.

He threatened that the dissidents would resign from the assembly if their demand to replace Singh is not met.

While the resignations of 36 BJP legislators, handed over to party president Shashikant 'Kushabhau' Thakre, were clearly a pressure-building exercise, the dissidents are understood to have told the party bosses that they are in no mood to compromise.

But one dissident told Rediff On The NeT, "The only condition on which we could relent is the removal of Kusum Rai and two others from the coveted positions given to them by the chief minister recently."

The rebels are particularly sore at the elevation of the controversial municipal councillor as chairperson of the state Social Welfare Advisory Board with the rank of minister of state. The other two appointments that have riled them are those of J N Tiwari and Ram Kumar Shukla as chairmen of two other state government undertakings.

Accusing Kalyan Singh of nepotism, they say the central leadership should at least persuade him to get rid of these three "undeserving" partymen.

But Singh's supporters are certain he will not accede to this demand. "That would be a slap in his face," said Krishna Raj, MLA from Lakhimpur Kheri.

Dissident spokesman Pandey was particularly harsh on state BJP president Rajnath Singh and senior state party leaders Lalji Tandon and Kalraj Misra who reportedly gave some assurances to the party leadership on the dissidents. "Who are they to speak on our behalf?" he thundered.

Meanwhile, Kalyan Singh had detailed discussions with Misra and Tandon regarding the situation arising out of the resignations.

Political observers agree that Singh is a hard nut to crack. "He can't take defeat and I am sure he will become more defiant than ever - even if it is to the party's detriment," said one.

With reports from UNI

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