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Thakre threatens to crack down on Kalyan's supporters in BJP

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Bharatiya Janata Party president Shashikant 'Kushabhau' Thakre has asked the chief of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the organisation for details of legislators said to be in league with rebel politician and former chief minister Kalyan Singh.

Thakre will take action against these MLAs once their 'guilt' is established, according to central party spokesman and Rajya Sabha member M Venkaiah Naidu.

"Thakreji has asked Om Prakash Singh to furnish details of the nexus of some of our legislators with Kalyan Singh. He has told Om Prakashji that he will take action on disciplinary grounds if it is proved beyond doubt that these legislators are hobnobbing with the rebel leader," Venkaiah Naidu told rediff.com today at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

The spokesman indicated that even after Kalyan Singh's 'marginalisation', the party high command has been monitoring his activities. "If some leader criticises and talks about unseating the prime minister, of course we will sit up and and take notice. After all, Vajpayeeji is no run-of-the-mill prime minister. He is in his chair because of the people's support and the support of 24 parties," Naidu said.

Sources indicated that the government machinery is also monitoring the activities of "known contacts" of Kalyan Singh in Delhi.

According to Venkaiah Naidu, the party leadership would not compromise with indiscipline "at whichever" level and clear messages had been sent "to some suspects" that they had better mend their ways.

But some members of the Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, who did not want to be named, said the leadership has been rattled by Kalyan Singh's successful rally at Etah. They said the three BJP legislators who had shared the dais with Singh knew they would be pulled up for indiscipline, yet they attended the rally openly.

The BJP's concern is not unfounded. Till about a year ago, Etah was regarded a stronghold of the BJP. But now the Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav appears to have made deep inroads there. Besides, Kalyan Singh has been proclaiming since his expulsion from the BJP that he would ensure the party's death in its very bastion.

Another aspect worrying the BJP is the rebel's apparent determination to "blow the myth" of the Vajpayee government being clean. En route to the Etah rally, Singh thundered to the sizeable crowds that had congregated on both sides of the road that he had proof that "Vajpayee's government is as corrupt as they come", and promised to soon bring out the "gory details".

The Uttar Pradesh BJP chief has been given a week's time to submit a preliminary report about the party legislators who are believed to retain their links with Kalyan Singh and the adverse fallout of action against them on the state and central governments.

Meanwhile, the BJP has refused to accept that there is a setback among the three major National Democratic Alliance contenders in Bihar -- the BJP, the Samata Party and the Janata Dal (United) -- on the seat-sharing deal, which was given final shape by Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani on Sunday.

Venkaiah Naidu contended that talks between the three parties were still continuing for the "identification of seats" after which the three would be ready to oust the "jungle raj" of Laloo Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal.

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