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Loktantrik may ditch BJP in UP

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

Secret parleys between Loktantrik Congress Party chief Naresh Agarwal and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav have led to concern in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh.

A section of the BJP has begun suspecting the future of the party's alliance with the LCP, which began with the betrayal by the ruling party's earlier ally, the Bahujan Samaj Party.

The LCP seems to be looking for greener pastures as it sees bleak prospects for the BJP.

While political circles have been agog with rumours about a "secret understanding" between Agarwal and Yadav, recent developments seem to confirm that something is actually up between the two.

LCP spokesman Siraj Mehndi's criticism of the government for the use of police force against SP rallyists in Etah district of central Uttar Pradesh last week, was an indicator of the apparent soft corner the BJP ally seems to have for the ruling party's key rival.

Mehndi, a confidant of Agarwal, even demanded a state assembly session to discuss the issue.

The rally was called and led by Mulayam to protest police action against SP Member of Parliament Sachchidanand Sakshi Maharaj, the saffron-clad swami who has been accused in a case of rape and kidnapping.

Mulayam has charged the state administration with "framing" the swami. Until not very long back a BJP Member of Parliament from Farrukhabad, Sakshi Maharaj was a Hindu fundamentalist involved in the demolition of the 16th century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992. He was among the main accused facing trial in the Ayodhya case.

The LCP was repaying Mulayam for supporting Agarwal's brother at the recent elections of district panchayat chiefs in the latter's home district of Hardoi. Mulayam refrained from fielding a nominee against Naresh's brother, Mukesh, who eventually won.

Significantly, such arrangements between the LCP and SP have been on for some time. Last month, when BJP legislator from Hardoi Ganga Singh Chauhan accused Naresh Agarwal of being involved in an attack on him, which led to the death of his wife, Mulayam supported the LCP chief.

Naresh Agarwal had ensured the victory of Mulayam's son, Akhilesh Singh Yadav, in the Kannauj Lok Sabha byelection in May. Agarwal not only demanded the Kannauj seat for his party but fielded a "weak" opponent to ensure smooth sailing for the SP chief's son. The LCP was stated to have been repaid for that.

The arrangement suits Mulayam and the LCP. While this will be Mulayam's gameplan to weaken the BJP, the LCP will have a comrade-in-arms to go to the hustings.

JBSP leader Narendra Singh, who was also state food minister, regards the BJP a sinking ship. He is also hobnobbing with Congress leaders so that he can cross over at an opportune time with whatever little following he has. His efforts for a rapproachment with the parent Bahujan Samaj Party failed to yield results as Mayawati refused to have anything to to do with the 19 legislators who "betrayed" her to join hands with the BJP.

Political observers do not rule out a split in each of these allies' parties, since both have BJP sympathisers. In the event of parting of ways between the BJP and its allies, the LCP is likely to get divided between two pro-SP groups, while the JBSP could face a split between those who are for an alliance with the Congress and those who prefer to continue with the present arrangement.

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