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PM's cronies battle it out in UP

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

With two protégés of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee slugging it out in the open, things are turning worse for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh.

It was easier for the BJP leadership to sort out the face-off between Vajpayee and a rebellious Kalyan Singh by showing the door to the latter.

Vajpayee's man Friday, Minister for Housing and Urban Development Lalji Tandon, who was also incharge of the prime minister's constituency, suddenly took on Lucknow Mayor Dr S C Rai, a Vajpayee appointee.

The battle-lines are drawn and even Vajpayee's emissary Shiv Kumar has not been able to resolve the impasse.

What was sparked off by a fracas between rival corporators at a corporation meeting that culminated in the removal of chief executive officer C P Misra, turned into a major stand-off between Tandon and Rai.

Tandon was away on a tour abroad when Misra was shunted out. Since he never permitted anything to move in his ministry without his approval, Misra's ouster was taken as an affront. On his return, when the issue came up for discussion, Tandon was furious and labelled the Mayor "useless".

Rai, Deputy Mayor Urmila Mittal and 50 corporators faxed their resignations to the prime minister, who was urged to "tame" an "indisciplined" Tandon. Copies of the resignations were handed over to state BJP chief Om Prakash Singh.

Vajpayee sent Shiv Kumar to work out a rapprochement. However, Kumar looked crestfallen as his efforts proved futile.

The Mayor and his supporters have now demanded a change in Tandon's portfolio. "This is too much. We can't stand this insult," said the belligerent corporators, who were not convinced with the "wishy-washy" apology by Tandon. Rai, who was chosen Mayor mainly due to his fame as a surgeon, continued to remain sore over the minister calling him names.

Kumar initially held a brief for Tandon. Kumar cried hoarse, "after all Tandon has expressed regrets; so what is the point in stretching the issue now."

Kumar eventually sought the intervention of Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta and Om Prakash Singh, but they too failed. The Mayor and his supporters are seeking a formal public apology by Tandon, which has led Kumar to retort, "I do not deny the Mayor is the first citizen of the city and no one has the right to insult him; but if one has expressed deep regret for an unintended remark, then it is unfair to insist on an apology."

"We will now go to Delhi and speak to the prime minister on this issue," Rai said. Vajpayee is taking a week off in Manali.

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