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SP's rise prompted change of guard in UP

The apparently rising graph of Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party prompted the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership to affect a change of guard in Uttar Pradesh.

Realising chief minister Ram Prakash Gupta's bankruptcy in handling political complexities of the coming local body elections, in which the BJP was facing the biggest threat from the SP, its central leadership decided to go ahead with the change.

An aggressive Mulayam, who got into the act several months in advance, had his party machinery ready to take on the BJP. Rallies and demonstrations over vital issues affecting the common man had been part of his agenda that was aimed at demolishing the already weakened BJP in the state.

The SP's good performance at the state panchayat elections in July-August last had sent alarm signals in the BJP camp.

Even though the replacement of Gupta had been on the cards for some time, a consensus could not be arrived at on a successor. While the central leadership favoured Rajnath Singh, there was much resentment against his in Lucknow. No sooner was his name mentioned by the high command, UP leaders Kalraj Misra, Lalji Tandon and Om Prakash Singh ganged up to oppose him.

Six months back, when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee expressed his inclination to replace Gupta with Singh, the trio protested. Misra and Om Prakash Singh, who were then independently holding charge of two-two powerful ministries, threatened to resign.

They argued that Singh was far too junior in age and in terms of experience. They also argued that Rajnath Singh was to be blamed as much as then chief minister Kalyan Singh for the party's debacle in the last Lok Sabha elections (the party's tally rolled down from 57 to 29) as he was the party's organisation chief at that time.

While Rajnath Singh was accommodated in the Union Cabinet as Surface Transport Minister, the TINA [there is no alternative] factor allowed Gupta to continue. But as time went by and Gupta failed to change his image of a non-functional chief minister, things went worse for the party. "His was a phase of non-governance," remarked a senior BJP state leader, who otherwise rates Gupta as a "man of integrity".

However, with civil polls knocking at the doors and all Opposition parties, including the SP all geared up, realisation dawned on the top BJP leadership that it was time some life was infused into the government. Mere installation of Misra as state party president was not enough. Misra, who had headed the party organisation thrice earlier, lacked motivational skills or the image to rejuvenate the party rank and file.

Rampant corruption at the highest levels in all ministries and the "weakness" of a beleaguered chief minister ushered in a phase of virtual non-governance.

This led to an atmosphere of inertia in the BJP machinery. The need was felt for someone to infuse life into the party machinery and government.

What the BJP leadership was worried about was not merely the civic polls but also the precarious majority of three on which the government would be hinging on after the formal segregation of the hill state of Uttranchal. The proven record of Rajnath Singh's political skills in masterminding the coup against the Congress and BSP in 1977, following sudden snapping of ties by the then coalition partner Mayawati, was also considered. It was felt that if need be, Singh could once again use his political machinations to wean away some legislators from other political outfits.

Mulayam was also making inroads into the Thakur bastion, through Man Friday Amar Singh, who was leaving no stone unturned to woo members of the community. Amar Singh was busy impresing on the UP Thakurs that as a Brahmin-oriented BJP had been neglecting the community, it was time they parted ways. "The BJP has a Brahmin Speaker, a Brahmin chairman of the state legislative council and now a party president; where is room for Thakurs?" was the SP argument.

The BJP leadership realised that only Rajnath Singh could counter the move and arrest any exodus of Thakurs.

Vajpayee, who had made up his mind to affect a change in UP, promptly held consultations with Home Minister L K Advani, who also favoured Rajnath Singh. The two BJP stalwarts then summoned Misra to Delhi, where he was told in no uncertain terms that he would have to accept the Centre's choice. Misra was understood to have been told to ensure that there was no dissidence on this count.

According to a top BJP source, "Advani told Misra that anyone else's name could only be considered if he was willing to go through the acid test of the party's performance in the local body elections. Even as Tandon, Om Prakash Singh and Misra had been string aspirants for the top job, they did not have the guts to accept the challenge of civil polls.

Rajnath Singh was game for a do-or-die battle and chose to accept the challenge posed by a well-oiled SP under an aggressive Mulayam Singh Yadav and a skilfully organised BSP under a reoriented Mayawati, who was out to expand her party base to incorporate upper castes.

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