Party-hopping continues in UP Govt

Those who had joined the SP during Mulayam govt installation now look for greener pastures, reports M Hasan.

Party-hoppers, who had joined the Samajwadi Party at the time of installation of the Mulayam Singh Yadav government three years ago, are now looking for other greener pastures. The resignation of Minister of State for Trade Tax and Registration, Sanjay Garg, on flimsy grounds is being seen in this context in the party circle. Garg had come from the Janata Party to become a minister in the Mulayam Singh government. The next two months could thus be crucial for the relocation of party deserters in the ruling party.

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There are many more in the ministry who are sitting on the fence, all of whom have been waiting for an opportune time to desert the government. In this connection, one more SP MLA from Orai is in contact with Jan Morcha Alliance leaders.

Interestingly Garg, while shooting off a resignation letter to the chief minister on Sunday, accused the Saharanpur police of supporting the BJP in local bodies' election. However, official sources say that the prospect of losing ground in the Saharanpur assembly constituency forced Garg to act swiftly. Sources close to the minister said that Garg was under pressure to distance himself from the government as quickly as possible to ward off anti-incumbency factor in the next assembly election.

The tone and tenor of other ministers like Harishankar Tiwari and Haji Yaqoob Qureshi have already changed. While Tiwari has openly expressed his displeasure over “apmaan ki ghoot” (insult which he swallowed) under the present dispensation, Qureshi has been carrying on a campaign against the government for not doing anything for the welfare of the minority community.

The emerging trend of desertion is likely to further crystallise after the ongoing local bodies's election. The SP has also been gathering information about the performance of MLAs who had come from the BSP to decide their fate.

The performance of the ruling party in civic polls could also be the benchmark for assembly elections. With candidates of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) clashing with SP in the civic elections, bitterness has been further aggravated between the two ruling allies. At several places, the RLD has even extended support to non-SP candidates.

E-mail:mhasan@hindustantimes.com